Dhumal lays stones of bridge, sewerage
KULU, Oct 25 — Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister of Himachal , today performed foundation stone laying ceremony of two projects in the Bhuntar area of Kulu district.

• 'Top priority to education'

Law course started
DHARAMSALA, Oct 25 — The three-year law course at the regional centre of Himachal Pradesh University here was inaugurated by the Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapoor, yesterday.

Lobbying begins for RS seat
From S P Sharma
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Oct 25 — Lobbying has started in the ruling BJP for nomination to the Rajya Sabha seat which will be vacated by Mr Sushil Barongppa of the Congress party in April next.

Although Mr Barongppa still has about six months to retire, various leaders of the BJP are already aspiring for the seat.

There were reports that the seat might be offered to Mr Arun Jaitley, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, who is not yet a member of any House of Parliament. He has to get elected as an MP within six months of having been inducted into the Union Ministry.

However, the issue of nominating a non-Himachali to the seat is considered sensitive as the BJP has been accused of having presented Rajya Sabha seats to "outsiders" twice earlier.

Himachal Pradesh has three seats in the Rajya Sabha, two of which are with the Congress and one with the HVC.

A senior BJP leader, Mr Radha Raman Shastri, is learnt to have staked his claim for the seat and is expected to discuss the matter with Central leaders of the BJP. He might also seek the help of the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Mr Shanta Kumar, whom he has been supporting. Mr Shastri was a minister in the Shanta Kumar Cabinet in 1990 and also the Speaker of the state assembly.

A section of the BJP had expressed displeasure during the Shanta Kumar regime when Mr K L Sharma, a senior BJP leader, was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from here.

Certain BJP activists fear that the nomination of Mr Jaitley might boomerang as the Congress party has already been accusing the BJP of always giving the Rajya Sabha seats to "outsiders" whenever the party comes to power.

An octogenarian BJP leader, Mr T S Negi, had sometime ago expressed his desire to be a member of the Rajya Sabha.

The BJP had to be on the defensive earlier when Mr Sharma was nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Himachal Pradesh is the only state in this region where the BJP has a majority in the Vidhan Sabha for getting its candidate elected to the Rajya Sabha.

The other seat vacated by the Congress last year was won by Mr Anil Sharma of the alliance partner, the HVC, with the support of the BJP. Mr Sharma is a son of Mr Sukh Ram, HVC chief.

The Shanta supporters are also keenly waiting for the organisational elections, which are due here sometime mid-next year, when they are expecting to get some respectable posts.

They pointout that at the moment only one or two of them are occupying senior party positions. The previous organisational elections in the state witnessed unprecedented ugly scenes between the Shanta Kumar and Dhumal factions.

DAV College students boycott examinations
From Our Correspondent

KANGRA, Oct 25 — Nearly 2,000 students of MCM DAV College here boycotted first terminal examination came on to the streets, marched in procession, raising slogans against the Principal through the main bazaar of the town in protest against the college management of holding "untimely" examinations.

Students of BA, B.Sc and B.Com classes of MCM DAV College today boycotted the first terminal examination conducted by the college management for the first time after six years alleging that it was to harass the students.

Students leaders Sunil Saini and Mr Anupam Sharma alleged that college was conducting the first terminal examinations after the winter vacations in first week of January but this year principal decided to hold terminal examination from October 25. They alleged that the syllabi for these terminal tests were yet to be completed. The protesting students alleged that the college management was violating University Grants Commission rules by enrolling more students in each section. It was affecting their education.

Sunil and Anupam said 110 to 120 students were admitted in each section against 60 to 80 students thus violating UGC directions. They further alleged that admission and tuition fee was increased this year but the facilities in the college were on decline. They said earlier poor, deserving and needy students were given education free of cost but this year despite repeated requests from the students to the principal no such facility was provided.

The students held a demonstration outside the college and took out a protest rally raising anti-principal slogans.

As the principal Mr S.K. Sharma was out of station the acting Principal, Mr R.K. Ohray, refused to comment regarding the violation of the UGC rules by the college. Prof K.C. Gupta, in charge for the examination committee, said it was decided to hold the first terminal examinations from today after a six years gap in the interest of the students. Some members of the teaching faculty accepted that the number of the students was far more higher in each section than number prescribed by the UGC.

An untapped vale of Chamba
From Balkrishan Prashar

DIUR (Chamba): Natural scenic beauty, majestic sights and sounds of the enchanting vale of Diur in Chamba district have been unheeded and unexplored by HP’s Department of Tourism.

Set amidst sky-high mountain peaks, verdant valleys and streams, Diur valley is a heaven on earth for tourists visiting the hill resorts of Dalhousie, Khajjiar and Chamba. But sadly, it has so far remained unidentified and unexploited. The state government has hardly done anything to bring this area on the state tourism map.

The dale lies amidst the thick deodar hill ranges about 75 km from Dalhousie and offers a number of tourist spots in the vicinity. The valley is rich in wild life such as goral, leopard, bear, etc. Besides, there are pheasants and birds that are rarely sighted in the plains.

The Diur valley unfolds magnificent settings to lure tourists, trekkers owing to high mountain passes and researchers attracted by the countless species of flora.

The journey, too, is refreshing for tourists almost all the way, passing through the well-maintained (rare for the hills) Dalhousie-Diur and Chamba-Diur state high-ways.

Among its natural charms, most conspicuous are its marvellous sights in the woody hillsides. But the state government has given such valleys which have vast tourism potential low priority.

Though the Tourism Department is making all-out endeavour to identify scenic valleys having a lot of tourism potential, yet in practice no concrete plan seems to have been made to boost domestic tourism capitalising on the available potential by popularising these valleys.

Dhumal lays stones of bridge, sewerage
From Our Correspondent

KULU, Oct 25 — Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister of Himachal , today performed foundation stone laying ceremony of two projects in the Bhuntar area of Kulu district. These included a bridge over river Parvati at Jia having length of 272 metres and to be constructed at a cost of Rs 12.27 crores. The other project includes sewerage for Bhuntar town to be constructed at a cost of Rs 6.95 crore catering the population of over 15000 estimated in next 30 years.

Addressing a meeting at Bhuntar later the Mr Dhumal said that the government had decided to fix time limit for the development works that would be started in the state to ensure timely completion and added that only those works would be taken in hand for which provision of adequate funds was made in the budget.

The Chief Minister said governments would create work culture in the state and steps had already been taken in this respect. He said that the 86 MW Malana Hydel Project on which the work was started during September last year was likely to be completed within two and a half year a record in itself. He said the government would also ensure completion of other projects at the earliest.

Mr Dhumal said to keep pace in the present world, it was essential that every work was done in a speed.

Mr Dhumal said that the sewerage for Kulu and Bhuntar would also be completed within stipulated period and added that the Government of India had has also sanctioned Rs 14.20 crore for these for which he thanked the Central leadership.

The Chief Minister said his government was committed for the welfare of all sections of the society and said that the mandate given to it by the people in the recently held Lok Sabha election had put more responsibility on it.

Referring to the demand for construction of existing bridge at Jia, Mr Dhumal said that the work on it would be taken in hand soon.

Mr Mohinder Singh, Public Works Minister said that the bridge at Jia would be completed within two years and added that this bridge was based on the latest technology and the design of the bridge was unique. He said that government would ensure construction of proposed by-pass to the town of Kulu at the earliest to facilitate the people and also avoid congestion.

Mr Ramesh Choudhary, I&PH Minister said that the sewerage for Bhuntar would be completed within three-four years and added that Rs 3 crore were being spent on providing drinking water, irrigation facilities and flood protection works in the area during current year.

Mr Karan Singh, Minister of State for Primary Education thanked the Chief Minister for speeding up development works in the area.
Mr Maheswar Singh, MP urged for drinking water supply scheme for Sarabai and repair of existing bridge.

Mr Jai Ram, MLA, Chandersen, Vice Chairman, HPMC and Dalip Bisth, President Kulu District HVC were present among others

Dhumal: top priority to education
From Our Correspondent

HAMIRPUR, Oct 25 — HP Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said addressing a rural gathering at Goober village of the district last evening that the state government was according top priority to education, health and drinking water facilities in the state.

Earlier, he laid the foundation stone of a Rs 45 lakh primary health centre building at Goober. He announced a sum of Rs 7.50 lakh for its construction during the current fiscal year. Work on constructing primary health centres was in progress in Bamsan.

The Bamsan area had remained neglected during the past 50 years due to the wrong policies of the successive state governments. He assured the people that efforts would be made to raise their living standard.

Law course started
Tribune News Service

DHARAMSALA, Oct 25 — The three-year law course at the regional centre of Himachal Pradesh University here was inaugurated by the Transport Minister, Mr Kishan Kapoor, yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Kapoor said though it had been decided by the government to start the course here way back in 1992, due to the change of government the matter remained pending. He said till now classes were being run in six courses and along with the law course, three new subjects had been added.

Mr Kapoor said the matter regarding the grant of recognition to the law course from the Bar Council of India would depend on the availability of staff, hostels and accommodation. He assured the people that the government would do its level best to complete all the requirements at the earliest.