‘Make public aware of banking scheme’
SHIMLA, Oct 22 — Mrs V.S Rama Devi, Himachal Governor stressed the need to create awareness among bank customers and the public about the banking ombudsman scheme to enable them expenditious and inexpensive redressal of their grievances.

Dhumal justifies bus fare hike
HAMIRPUR, Oct 22 — The Himachal Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has justified the bus fare hike made in the state recently. He said it had to be done to compensate the losses that would arise due to the over 30 per cent hikes in diesel price.

Villagers gherao post office
KANGRA, Oct 22 — Residents of Batoli Phkarian village in Dheera subdivision of this district yesterday gheraoed and held dharna outside the post office in protest against the appointment of the post master allegedly in violation or rules by the postal authorities.

Parties against more holidays
SHIMLA, Oct 22 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, convened a meeting of political parties here this morning for a consensus on more working days in government offices, but within a few hours declared October 27 as a gazetted holiday on account of Karva Chauth for women employees.

• Ambedkar scholarship for upper classes
• 720 liquor bottles seized; 2 held
• 4 killed as car falls into nullah
• Karva Chauth holiday in HP

‘Anti-terrorism policy must’
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 22 — The Governor Mrs V.S. Rama Devi, has stressed the need to formulate a comprehensive policy and a multipronged strategy to eliminate terrorism and protect human rights. She said terrorism was a big threat to humanity and called for a collective fight by all organs of the state and all cross-sections of society against it.

Delivering the first memorial lecture on terrorism and human rights on the occasion of the police commemoration day at Peterhoff here yesterday, she expressed concern over terrorism in the world, saying it was unfortunate that international terrorists were even protected and financed by various governments.

She said international links between various terrorist organisations and exchange of modern weapons and information among themselves was a matter of worry for which adequate measures and operations needed to be carried out at the international level.

Tracing the roots of terrorism, as a weapon of psychological warfare for political ends to the ancient times, she said terrorism had existed throughout history and all over the world. She said in the present times, terrorism had become an essential element of a number of political movements. The problem had further aggravated with terorists possessing sophisticated weapons and compact remote controlled electronic devices for detonating explosives. The nexus between terrorism and drug trafficking was posing a serious threat not only to the security of various countries, but also their social fabric.

The Governor emphasised the need for maintaining and upholding human rights and said everyone had a right to live with dignity irrespective of their rank or status in society. She said human rights should be respected and the police should not violate them. She asked police officials to desist from indulging in third degree methods, custodial violence and torture, urging them to complete investigations speedily to ensure quick trials and prosecutions.

She said although the Constitution provided for restricting human rights in the interest of general welfare of the people and during emergencies, this restriction could not be allowed to be imposed arbitrarily and without justification.

She emphasised the need to provide an efficient mechanism for coordination between different wings of criminal justice system.

She suggested various measures for fighting terrorism which included improvement in the training standard of the security forces, equipping them with sophisticated weapons, re-organisation and strenghening of internal and external intelligence agencies and a professional approach. She also stressed the need to amend appropriate laws so that the judiciary, prosecutors and the police did not feel handicapped in fighting terrorism.

Mr T.R. Mahajan, Director General of Police said community participation was must for combating terrorism. He said village defence committees needed to be formed for ensuring strict vigilance in terrorists-infested areas.

He laid emphasis on inculcating awareness among policemen about human rights to enable them to meet the challenge of terrorists in a more efficient way.

Cong "watching" HVC-BJP feud
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 22 — The Congress is "hawkishly" watching the rumblings in the ruling BJP-HVC alliance in Himachal Pradesh and will not hesitate to grab any opportunity to topple the state government.

This was stated here today by the PCC chief, Mr Sat Mahajan, who was talking to mediapersons in the presence of the CLP leader, Mr Virbhadra Singh.

Mr Mahajan said the Congress would not remain a slilent spectator to the feud between the two alliance partners. He said his priority was to topple the government led by Mr P.K. Dhumal.

Mr Virbhadra Singh said the Congress as the Opposition would be more aggressive in its fight for solving the problems of the people. The Congress would not allow the BJP to "saffronise" government offices and educational institutions.

The two leaders alleged that corruption was rampant under the present regime. Official machinery was being "misused" by BJP rulers.

Mr Mahajan and Mr Virbhadra Singh, briefing the media on yesterday's general house meeting of the party, said it had been decided that no leader would resign in view of the party debacle in the recent Lol Sabha elections as this would solve no purpose. It was decided that senior leaders would tour the districts collectively.

They said most participants observed that the debacle was due to over-confidence and gross "misuse" of official machinery by the BJP-HVC combine. The undercurrent of sympathy for Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee and the Kargil issue also worked in favour of the BJP.

The leaders said the chapter of the so-called foreign origin of Mrs Sonia Gandhi has been closed with her victory from both Amethi and Bellary. The Congress in Himachal Pradesh was solidly behind her.

They said the victory of the BJP-HVC alliance in the Lok Sabha elections was not a vote for the performance of Mr Dhumal or Mr Sukh Ram.

The general house adopted a resolution congratulating Mrs Sonia Gandhi under whose leadership the vote share of the party had increased in the country.

Another resolution expressed grief on the death of veteran party leader Hira Singh Paul.

Deprived of development
From Balkrishan Prashar

SNOOH (Chamba): Even 52 years after Independence, the residents of Snooh belt in Salooni tehsil in this district, a predominantly Muslim area have been living in penury. The benefits of freedom have not percolated to the residents of these distant hilly border areas of Chamba district. Their condition mirrors their lack of means of earning a livelihood.

Located 70 km away from the district headquarters of Chamba, Snooh has a population of about 8000. In this backward area 70 per cent of the people are illiterate, as a consequence, poverty is rampant in the area. The people still live in houses made of mud.

A family consisting of at least six members resides and sleeps in a single dark room with no window for passage of stale inner air. Besides it keeps livestock within the premises. Being illiterate and poor, they are unable to provide a nutritious meal to their families.

A recent visit by mediamen to this area and contact with the local people revealed their deteriorating state of affairs. The residents say their area is situated adjacent to the militancy-infested Gandoh border belt of Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir at altitudes ranging from 1900 to 4176 metres in a far-flung corner of Himachal Pradesh. Their traditional work of extracting medicinal herbs has been worst affected by the terrorist threats during the past few years.

The residents say that even today the militants move around in the Barabatti forests of Gandoh tehsil. Owing to militancy, they have been deprived of their work of collecting herbs – their main source of livelihood since time immemorial.

The strict surveilance of the border adjoining J&K by the paramilitary forces deployed to combat militancy, has made the local residents feel secure yet they have a fear about the militants camping in their hide- outs accross the border with a lot of arms and ammunition hidden in the dense forests.

The residents of the area depend on agriculture especially maize crop on their small land holdings. There is hardly any milestone in the field of development. In the absence of employment avenues, they are forced to live in penury.

In this belt, there is only one government primary school without Urdu teacher and a high school without sufficient staff. There is no health progarmme to look after the unhygienic health condithons. The hapless residents here are waiting for succour. They have also demanded the government to undertake construction work on the 7.50 MW Chakoli Hydroelectric Project on the Siul rivulet, thereby generating employment opportunities.

The primary health centres at Kihar and Diur are devoid of adequate staff and X-ray facilities. There is only doctor at the Kihar PHC while at Diur there is no doctor and paramedical staff which is being run by a few subordinate officials. These PHCs are without staff quarters.

Meanwhile, Mr K. Sanjaymurthy, Deputy Commissioner of Chamba, has informed that the state government has allocated funds to the tune of Rs 25 crore under the ‘backward area sub-plan’ for the development of backward belts and uplift of its inhabitants in the district.

‘Make public aware of banking scheme’
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 22 — Mrs V.S Rama Devi, Himachal Governor stressed the need to create awareness among bank customers and the public about the banking ombudsman scheme to enable them expenditious and inexpensive redressal of their grievances. She said it would further held in popularising the scheme besides building pressure on bank authorities to extend better services to the customers. She was addressing bankers at the inaugural session of a seminar on the banking ombudsman scheme here today.

She said there was much competition in the banking sector which called for efficiency. The ombudsman scheme provided the right impetus for ensuring it. She said banking ombudsman was an important institution of redressing grievances against deficiency in banking services concerning loans and advances and other related matters.

She said the banking ombudsman was more powerful and effective as it had the power to even give awards.

While complimenting the efforts of banking ombudsman in providing justice to facilitate a larger cross-section of bank customers, she said a small number of 33 complaints from Himachal Pradesh clearly indicated the high standard of banking services in the state. She asked the bankers to maintain this trend.

She also asked them to further simplify the procedures and bring down the maximum time limit for disposing of a complaint from two months to one month.

Mr S.A. Rahman, banking ombudsman for Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, outlined the salient features of the banking ombudsman scheme.

He said the scheme laid emphasis on equity rather than conformity. He said the scheme was getting popular and as many as 413 complaints were received during 1998-99.

He said a complaint was temporary misunderstanding between the customer and the bank and the ombudsman's aim was to resolve it by mutual understanding.

Suicide by five of family
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Oct 22 — Five members of a family committed suicide by consuming poison at Dameta under Jawali police station in the district, the police said here today.

The district police chief, Mr K.C.Sadiyal, said the family was living in two room set at Dameta. The family members were found dead in their house this morning. However, the exact time of committing suicide could not be established.

He said the police was called this morning by residents of the area after foul smell emanating from the room, which was bolted from inside, spread in the area.

The police broke open the door and found all five members of the family lying dead on their beds, SSP said.

The deceased were identified as Nand Kishore (32), his wife Madhu (25), daughter, Niha (4), a son (2½ years) and a three month old baby boy. The SSP said DSP, Jawali had rushed to the spot for investigation.

Mr Sadiyal said Nand Kishore was a priest and an alcoholic who often used to beat his wife under the influence of liquor.

Dhumal justifies bus fare hike
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 22 — The Himachal Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, has justified the bus fare hike made in the state recently. He said it had to be done to compensate the losses that would arise due to the over 30 per cent hikes in diesel price.

Addressing a public meeting at Bagwara village in the district last evening, he questioned the double standards of the Congress party with regard to the bus fare hike. He said in Delhi where the Congress was in power, the government had doubled the bus fare rates but the Congress leaders were keeping quiet on that.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated a Primary health centre at Bagwara village named after martyr Swami Ram Chandel, who had laid down his life while fighting against Pakistanis in Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir. He paid rich tributes to war heroes adding that all sort of facilities would be made available to them and their families.

Villagers gherao post office
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Oct 22 — Residents of Batoli Phkarian village in Dheera subdivision of this district yesterday gheraoed and held dharna outside the post office in protest against the appointment of the post master allegedly in violation or rules by the postal authorities.

District police chief K.C. Sadiyal said hundreds of villagers protested against the appointment of the post master who was residing 12 km away from Batoli and had allegedly secured 50 per cent marks in matriculation. The SSP said as per reports nearly a dozen persons most of them the residents of the same village with 60 per cent marks in the matriculation, were rejected by the postal authorities.

The residents did not allow the new post master to join duty.

When contacted, the Assistant Superintendent of Post Offices, Mr P.R. Sharma, said the appointment of the post master was made according to the rules.

Parties against more holidays
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 22 — The Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, convened a meeting of political parties here this morning for a consensus on more working days in government offices, but within a few hours declared October 27 as a gazetted holiday on account of Karva Chauth for women employees.

The Congress did not participate in the meeting. An official spokesman said Mr Sukh Ram, President of the HVC, Mr Rakesh Singha of the CPM and Mr I.C. Gupta attended the meeting.

Most participants were against including more holidays to the existing list as frequent closure of offices caused inconvenience to the people.

Some leaders were of the view that to increase more working days, the government should consider the idea of special leave.

4 killed as car falls into nullah

KULU, Oct 22 (PTI) — Four persons were killed when the car they were travelling in plunged into the Dunkra nullah on the Manikaran-Kulu road, 28 km from here, today.

The deceased have been identified as Kishore Kumar, resident of Dugli Lag, Khimi Ram of Punthal village, Ram Singh of Shalang village and Ved Ram of Jari.

The district administration has announced a relief of Rs 10,000 to the next of kin of the victims. A case has been registered.

Ambedkar scholarship for upper classes

SHIMLA, Oct 22 (PTI) — The Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to extend the "Ambedkar Meritorious Scholarship" for Scheduled Castes and other backward classes (OBC) students to meritorious students of upper classes also.

Disclosing this here today the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, said to start with 2,000 scholarships of Rs 10,000 each would be given to the poorest among poor meritorious students of upper classes and 4,000 students of all classes, studying in Plus I and Plus II would be benefitted to the tune of Rs 4 crore annually.

As many as 1,000 students of backward classes were already getting the scholarships under the scheme.

720 liquor bottles seized; 2 held
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 22— The police has seized 720 bottles and 9,400 pouches of liquor which were illicitly being brought here from Chandigarh in a truck.

The SP, Mr O.C. Thakur, said two persons had been arrested and the truck impounded. The arrested were Prakash Chand and Joginder Kumar, a dhaba owner, he said.

The liquor was meant for sale in Chandigarh only and was seized at Ghanahatti near here.

Karva Chauth holiday in HP

SHIMLA, Oct 22 (PTI) — The Himachal Pradesh Government has declared a gazetted holiday on account of Karva Chauth on October 27 for women employees in government offices and educational institutions.

Daily wage women employees would also get a holiday, an official press note said.