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Sunday,
October 14, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Uniform 43 pc DA for HP
pensioners HP fiscal crisis blamed on Cong Cong
infighting in Kangra increases Dhumal criticises Left
parties Constructions to be
regularised |
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War
casts shadow on steam engine’s journey Prisoner attempts
suicide Rs 600-cr cement plant
for Chamba Fire in two hotels Judicial officers’
workshop held HB colony faces water shortage
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Uniform 43 pc DA for HP
pensioners Hamirpur, October 13 An official spokesman said here yesterday, the payment of relief involving a fraction of rupee shall be rounded off to the next higher rupee. He said that other provisions governing grant of dearness allowance to the pensioners such as regulation of dearness relief during employment, re-employment, regulation of dearness relief where more than one pension was drawn etc. would remain unchanged. The government order said that pensioners of All-India Services who had retired from the service of Himachal Pradesh cadre of these services would be entitled for dearness relief at the rates contained in the Government of India, Department of Pension and P.W.O.M. No. 42/2/2001-P&PW (G) dated April 11, 2001. As the dearness relief now would be uniform rate of 43 per cent, it has been decided to dispense with the issue of enclosing ready reckoner along with the dearness relief orders. It will be the responsibility of the pension disbursing authority, including the nationalised banks, etc. to calculate the quantum of dearness relief payable in each individual case.
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HP fiscal crisis blamed on Cong Shimla, October 13 In contrast the Dhumal government had made all efforts to make the state self-reliant. Unlike, the Congress which forgets poll promises after coming to power, the present government was implementing its election manifesto as an official document. Despite tight financial situation, it had fulfilled most of the promises. He said the BJP would present comparative performances of the Dhumal government in the past three years and the 50-year rule of the Congress before people in the fortnight long “Vikas Yatra” to be launched by the party from October 17. The president of the constituency party units would be present on the inaugural day and start mini yatras in all segments the following day. The main objective was to apprise the people of government’s achievements but the party would use it to rebut Congress criticism and charges against the government. The party already has started preparing for the election and was confident of returning to power on the basis of its performance.
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Cong
infighting in Kangra increases Dharamsala, October 13 With Mrs Chandresh Kumari distancing herself from the HPCC chief, Mrs Vidya Stokes, in the recent months, political alignments in Kangra have witnessed a sea change. She along with the three Congress MLA’s from Kangra — Mr Chander Kumar, Mr B.B.L. Butail and Mr G.S. Bali — has been extending full support to the former Chief Minister, Mr Virbhadra Singh, and attending his rallies. Prominent Rajput leaders from the district, who were once diehard loyalists of Mr Virbhadra Singh, are rallying behind the HPCC chief. Prominent among them are former ministers Vijai Singh Mankotia, Kewal Singh Pathania and Vikram Katoch. The fourth Congress MLA from Kangra, Mrs Viplove Thakur, is whole-heartedly supporting Mrs Stokes. The former HPCC chief and senior Congress leader Sat Mahajan has tried to maintain a neutral stance by not coming out openly in support of any faction. His son, Ajay Mahajan, a new entrant to the political arena, has, however, ensured his presence at Virbhadra Singh rallies. Though the Assembly elections in Himachal are almost more than a year away, the tussle for the party ticket has already started among the numerous claimants in Kangra. The Stokes faction in the district has been trying to create an impression that having a hold over the party organisation, it will have the final say in ticket allotment. The mere announcement by Mrs Chandresh Kumari that she is a claimant for the ticket from the Dharamsala constituency has had all contenders gunning for her. With her son Aishwarya Katoch contesting the last election from the Thural constituency, opponents of the Mahila Congress leader contest that one family cannot have its way. With her proximity to the AICC President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, it is felt that opposing Mrs Chandresh Kumari will not be an easy task. At the same time, the state NSUI president, Mr Kewal Pathania, hailing from Shahpur, the constituency of Mr Vijai Mankotia, has started making his presence felt in the district. A die-hard loyalist of Mrs Chandresh Kumari, he is known to have his contacts in the party high command at Delhi. In an oblique reference to some Congress leaders in the Stockes faction, he is learnt to have said that those who had once burnt the effigies of Rajiv Gandhi would be opposed. Similarly, in other constituencies, the tussle has begun between leaders of rival factions with an eye on the party ticket.
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Dhumal criticises Left
parties Shimla, October 13 Presiding over the function organised by the Students Central Association of Himachal Pradesh University to honour meritorious students and outstanding sportspersons, he said it was shocking that some parties were virtually speaking the language of the enemies and trying to gain political mileage at the cost of national interest. It was time that the countrymen, particularly the politicians, learnt a lesson from America how to protect national interests in critical situations. “No one asked for the resignation of President George Bush in the wake of terrorist attacks which destroyed the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the symbols of America’s economic and defence might. The entire country stood behind him and exhibited their patriotism at the time when it mattered the most.”, he said. In India it had been an entirely different story. While the jawans were fighting the enemy in Kargil, certain opposition parties were busy condemning the government.”
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Constructions to be
regularised Shimla, October 13 The Chief Minister was speaking at a function organised by the Shimla Suburbs Public Welfare Coordination Committee at New Shimla. He said Rs 3 lakh collected under the retention policy from these areas would also be spent on their development. Detailing the achievements of the government, Mr Dhumal said 2,100 km of roads had been constructed in the state during the past three years in comparison to 1,350 km of roads constructed in the previous three years of the Congress regime. He said 213 villages had been connected by roads during the period as against 82 connected by the previous government. As many as 2,250 km of roads had been mettled during the past three years of the total 8000 kms mettled roads in the state so far. He said four new national highways were got sanctioned from the Centre during the past three years increasing the length of national highways from 725 km to 1235 km. He said an institute of information technology of international repute was being set up at Vakna Ghat at a cost of Rs 35 crore in the private sector in which classes were likely to start next year. He said the budget for education had been raised from Rs 417 crore in 1997-98 to 932 crore till date. Mr Roop Dass Kashyap, Minister of State for Urban Development, said Rs 22 crore was being spent on the development of Shimla town with the assistance of the Norwegian Government. He said financial assistance was also being obtained from the Centre under the Integrated Development Programme to construct shops in Shimla town so that educated unemployed youth could be given the opportunity for self-employment.
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War
casts shadow on steam engine’s journey Shimla, October 12 The heritage steam engine, which has been reintroduced on the Shimla-Kalka narrow gauge track 30 years after having been withdrawn in 1971, is now proposed to be run for joy rides alone on a 26-km stretch between here and Kanoh. It has virtually become an uphill task for the Railways to attract tourists for the joy ride with the steam engine, which has been put on the track after being repaired at Amritsar. Since 1971 it had been standing on the road outside the office of the Divisional Railway Manager at Ambala as a mere show-piece. The steam engine was manufactured by the North British Locomotive Company, England, in 1905 and commissioned in 1906. The US-Afghanistan conflict has affected the arrival of foreign tourists which in turn has cast a shadow on the journey of the steam engine. Mr D.K. Sonewal, Additional Divisional, Railway Manager, when contacted, on the telephone at Ambala told this correspondent that Indian representatives of an American and Canadian tourism-related company were visiting here tomorrow to see the steam engine for an initial survey. They would also examine the topography of the area and might later take aerial photographs of the running train being driven by the engine. He said the economics of running the steam engine would be worked out before determining its fare structure. Packages might be worked out with the HP Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC). The Railway authorities said no one had so far come forward for a tie-up for the steam engine train and the Railways was not in a position to run it on its own. The Managing-Director of the HPTDC, Mr V.C. Pharka, said the corporation was negotiating with the Railways for a package for taking tourists on joy rides on the steam engine train, but most important was the timings for the rides. The train had to be provided whenever passengers were available for a picnic. He was hopeful that some package might be worked out by mid-November. The Railways was trying to work out a package as had been done in case of the “Palace on Wheels” with the Rajasthan Tourism Corporation and for the Royal Orient Express with the Gujarat Tourism Corporation, he added.
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Prisoner attempts suicide Bilaspur, October 13 Maheshwari tried to commit suicide by cutting a vein on his hand and was subsequently shifted to the District Hospital in a serious condition, the police said. He said from the hospital that his wife was never allowed to meet him in jail nor was he provided sufficient legal aid during his sentence period. He is in jail since November 14, 1998. “Some jail officials also tried to have illicit relationship with my wife,” he alleged. Meanwhile, Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Sanjay Pillai said from Raipur over the phone that the police was looking into Maheswari’s allegation. “However, neither he nor his wife, had ever complained about the same to any police official,” Mr Pillai added. PTI
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Rs 600-cr cement plant
for Chamba Chamba, October 13 Mr Shanta Kumar said the Ministry of Mines had approved the project and the approval of the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment was expected. He said the cement plant would be pollution-free and in the private sector. The limestone deposits in the Sikridhar hills would be used in this plant. The setting up of a cement factory would usher in an era of prosperity in this region, he added.
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Fire in two hotels Manali, October 13 Two fire tenders from the Manali fire station and one from Kulu rushed to the site and saved adjoining residential houses and hotels from the fire. There was reportedly no loss of life. The Deputy Commissioner, Kulu, Mr A.V. Prasad, and the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kulu, reached the spot and immediate relief of Rs 25,000 each given to the affected hoteliers.
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Judicial
officers’
workshop held Mandi, October 13 Inaugurating the third workshop of judicial officers of Mandi, Kulu, Sirmaur and Hamirpur civil and sessions divisions, the Chief Justice said such workshops played a useful role in enhancing the knowledge of participants about the changing dimensions of law in the wake of various judgements being delivered by the Supreme Court and High Courts. Such workshops also helped in solving legal dilemmas which the judges at times were faced with, he said. In the forenoon session, the judicial officers held discussion on ‘temporary injunction-pre-requisites’, while in the afternoon session the topic of discussion was ‘principles governing grant of bail’. Mr Justice A.K. Goel of the Himachal Pradesh High Court summed up the discussion. Twenty seven officers participated in the workshop. Mr Harikishan Sharma, president of the District Bar Association, met the Chief Justice along with other office-bearers and stressed that concurrent powers should be vested in Special Judge and Sessions Judge under the Prevention of Corruption Act because at times accused was denied bail in the absence of special judge.
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HB colony faces water shortage Kangra, October 13 Dr B.P. Badohla, a resident of this colony said that water supply was disrupted for 10 days in the colony in August. People have to make do with rain water. He said for the last seven days now there was no water supply in the colony and IPH Department blames the PWD department or the contractors of the Kangra byepass road for this disruption. He said that residents of this colony had been without regular water supply for the last 11 years but there was no government effort to redress the problem. He said the residents had to bring the water from a distance of two kilometre.
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