Congress "ignored" fruit growers interests
SHIMLA, Sept 10 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister has charged the former Congress government for ignoring the interests of fruit growers and said that it had not done anything worthwhile to improve their economic condition.

BJP-HVC tie-up criticised
SHIMLA, Sept 10 — The observer of the Nationalist Congress Party, Mr Des Raj Sharma, has accused the BJP of adopting double standards on the issue of removing corruption.

BJP govt violated poll code: Virbhadra
JAWALAMUKHI, Sept 10 — Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Virbhadra Singh today alleged the BJP government had violated the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections by misusing the state government machinery and transferring employees on political grounds.

Congress "ignored" fruit growers interests
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 10 — Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister has charged the former Congress government for ignoring the interests of fruit growers and said that it had not done anything worthwhile to improve their economic condition.

Addressing largely attended election meetings at Jubbal and Nerwa in Shimla district in support of Col Dhani Ram, nominee of the HVC and BJP combine today, he said that the present government had made payment of Rs 30 crore for the apple procured under market intervention scheme during last year and it was for the first time that apple growers had got payment during same year.

Besides, it paid special attention to the maintenance of roads, which were in bad shape due to prolonged neglect during Congress rule, and also revived the carton factory at Pragatinagar which was on the verge of closure. His government had also taken up matter with Government of India to get apple deleted from the list of OGL.

The present government had sanctioned Rs 3 crore for strengthening the carton factory at Gumma soon after taking over and had produced record 45 lakh cartons last year.

His government had also increased support price of apple last year on its own. The steps taken by the present government for strengthening the economic condition of the apple growers had been appreciated by the growers, negating propaganda of the Congress leaders that the BJP was anti-apple growers.

The present government was ensuring equal development of all areas of the state and cited the example of the two zonal hospitals opened during last year — one in Sirmaur district. All the five MLAs elected to the state Vidhan Sabha from Sirmaur district belonged to the Congress.

'Husband' lands himself in jail
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Sept 10 — Employees of a section of the Deputy Commissioner's Office here received the shock of their lives when an intruder barged into their room and tried to take away a woman colleague by force here yesterday.

The intruder, identified as Satish Kumar Tuli, aged about 35 years, was immediately overpowered and handed over to the police but not before he had set himself upon the halpless lady and managed to tear away a portion of her shirt.

Tuli, a resident of Dehra Dun, had got in touch with the woman when after a matrimonial advertisement her mother sent her, biodata to him in 1996. After the usual inquiries, the woman's mother informed Tuli of her inability to accept the proposal.

The refusal notwithstanding Tuli kept on writing "love letters'" to her which went unanswered. Finally, the love-sick man in an apparent bid to force matters reached the womans office at 2p.m and declared his intention of taking her away on the plea, "Tu meri gharwali hai". Even as the shocked woman tried to gather her wits, he pounced on her and tried to drag her away from her seat.

The ASP, Mr Sundar Lal, said cases under Sections 353, 354, 506 and 509 of the IPC had been registered against Tuli.

BJP-HVC tie-up criticised
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 10 — The observer of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Mr Des Raj Sharma, has accused the BJP of adopting double standards on the issue of removing corruption.

Mr Sharma, who was talking to newsmen yesterday, alleged that the BJP had joined hands with Mr Sukh Ram, the leader of the HVC, against whom the CBI had registered several cases of corruption.

The BJP is supporting the HVC in the Shimla Lok Sabha constituency.

Mr Sharma said the BJP should have never accepted the support of Mr Sukh Ram, whom they had earlier criticised on the issue of seizure of cash from his houses.

He said the state government was taking no action in the cases of the irregular allotment of "nautor" lands to Mr Sukh Ram and his relatives in Mandi district.

Mr Sharma stated that the BJP owed an explanation to the country on the controversial issue of the import of sugar from Pakistan and the undue concessions given to cellular phone operators.

BJP govt violated poll code: Virbhadra
From Our Correspondent

JAWALAMUKHI, Sept 10 — Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Virbhadra Singh today alleged the BJP government had violated the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections by misusing the state government machinery and transferring employees on political grounds.

Mr Virbhadra Singh was addressing an election meeting at Sunhet, 15 km from here.

He alleged the government had ordered large-scale transfer of employees who were "sympathetic" to the Congress. He said the BJP government had proved to be undemocratic. Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister, had made several promises to the people before the elections but had forgotten them after assuming power, he said.

Himachal renames 2 schools after martyrs
Tribune News Service

SHIMLA, Sept 10 — The Himachal Government has decided to upgrade two schools in the Chamba and Sirmour districts and also rename three educational institutions after martyrs of the Kargil conflict.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers held here yesterday under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal.

The Council of Ministers approved the renaming of the Degree College, Palampur, as "Amar Shaheed Captain Vikram Batra Memorial College".

Government High School at Halan in Sirmour has been named as "Shaheed Kalyan Singh High School" and Government Middle School at Gatasani in Chamba has been named as "Shaheed Ashish Thapa Middle School".

The council also approved upgradation of the Government High School, Halan, to the senior secondary level and the Government Middle School, Gatasani, to high school from the next academic session in the memory of martyrs.

2 more jawans attain martyrdom
From Tribune Reporters

HAMIRPUR, Sept 10 — Hamirpur lost its ninth jawan while fighting against Pakistanis in Rajouri sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Subedar Dalip Singh of 10 Dogra and resident of village Balh of this district is survived by his wife and two children.

The body of the jawan will be brought here on Saturday and taken to his village for cremation.

Mr Balbir Badalia, SDM, and Mr Kuldip Sharma, DSP, visited the house of the deceased on Thursday and offered condolences to his family.

The Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, Mrs Urmila Thakur, Parliamentary Secretary, and Mr Ishwar Dass Dhiman, Education Minister, have sent their condolences to the bereaved family.

Bilaspur: Rifleman Subhash Chand of Iaryalag-Badaghat village near Ghumarwin, 28 km from here, has reportedly been killed in crossfiring with Pakistanis in J and K.

This was stated by the Army Headquarters in a telegram to Subhash Chand's father on Thursday.

Jawan Roshan Lal cremated
From Our Correspondent

SOLAN, Sept 10 — Roshan Lal, a Jawan of 52 Security Guard, 6 Dogra Regiment and a native of Paprol village in Candagh Tehsil, who was killed in an anti-insurgency action in Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir on September 8, was cremated with full military and civil honours on the banks of Balain revulet near his village today.

Earlier his body, brought in a Tricolour-wrapped Army truck from Doda, was kept at the Fair Grounds in Subathu where hundreds of local people paid homage.

Brig Kamal Sood laid a wreath on behalf of the Chief of the Army Staff, Gen. V.P. Mullick and Maj B.S. Sheoran on behalf of the General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt. Gen. H.B. Kala. General Officer Commanding, 2 Corps, Lt Gen G.S. Sihota and Commander Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh area, Brig Satnam Singh were represented by Rifleman Yam Bahadur Gurung and Rifleman Sonam Bhutia, respectively.

Deputy Commissioner, Mr R.D. Dhiman, and the Ministers of State for Town & Country Planning Mr H.N. Singh, paid floral tributes on behalf of the Himachal Governor, Ms V.S. Ramadevi, and the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal.

Brothers of Roshan Lal, lit the pyre.