 |
Monday,
November 5, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
|
Bragta
refutes charge on funds New
transfer policy on cards: Dhumal Virbhadra
accuses BJP of vendetta Kangra
bears brunt of groupism: Cong leader Mrs Chandresh Kumari , All-India Mahila Congress president,
addresses a press conference at
Shimla on Sunday. — Photo Anil Dayal |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Himachal
Ratna conferred on 9 School
dropout rate down to 3 pc HP to
cultivate herbal plants CM raps
officials for not paying watchmen The moon finally emerged from the
clouds, much to the respite of fasting women who had assembled
on the historic Ridge to offer prayers on Karva Chauth. Smokers
give ban the go-by No
action against noise pollution Pay interest, insurance firm
told Sub-centres
sans drugs: Mahasangh
|
|
Bragta refutes charge on
funds Shimla, November 4 Addressing a Press conference, he said during the past three years the BJP government had released Rs 29.57 crore to the corporation as against Rs 20.95 crore given by the Congress regime in the preceding four years (1994-95 to 1997-98). He said the Congress, which had been ruling the corporation for the past 16 years, had not done much and was now making baseless allegations to divert the attention of people from the achievements of the Dhumal government. The fact was that the corporation had failed to utilise Rs 2.31 crore out of the Rs 4.81 crore released to it by the Deputy Commissioner and various government agencies under different schemes. Even the amount released under the MP’s and MLA’s local area development scheme had not been spent, he alleged. Quoting comparative figures, he said the Public Works Department had spent Rs 46.34 crore over the past three years as against Rs 39.4 crore spent during the Congress period. As many as 134 residential houses were constructed for employees as against 56 built during the Congress regime. A sum of Rs 1.62 crore was being spent on the tarring of circular road and parking space for 1,500 vehicles was being constructed at various place in the town. The Congress-ruled corporation could provide parking space for only 129 vehicles during its 16 years in office. A Rs 5-crore drinking water scheme to augment the supply from Nauti Khad was under execution and 26 handpumps had been installed at various points to meet water shortage. The government was also exploring the possibility of installing
tubewells. A sum of Rs 45 crore had been spent on sewerage and water supply improvement project. A Rs 75-crore scheme to lift water from the Giri river had been sent to the Centre for approval to find a solution to the perennial problem of water scarcity. Setting up of the Rs 7-crore software technology park at a cost of Rs 7 crore, starting work on the Rs 10-crore interstate bus terminus, uplinking of the local Doordarshan Kendra, which had been hanging fire for the past several years, and beautification of the queen of hills were some other achievements, he said. He disclosed that the Centre had sanctioned a Rs 50-lakh scheme for strengthening the facilities at the local ice skating rink. Mr Bragta lambasted Congress councillors for opposing the “vikas
yatra” and said if they had done good work, they should also go to people with their achievements. |
|
New transfer policy
on cards: Dhumal Hamirpur, November 4 He said there was a need for such a policy as most of the government time was being consumed in transfers only. He said in future transfers would take place only in April. He ruled out mid-term poll to the state Assembly in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh next year. He said there was no need for the poll as the government was in majority, and moreover it had one more year to continue in its office. The Chief Minister was at Bohni village in connection with the “legislator at your doorstep” programme. He, however, said the party was ready for the poll. It was not afraid of any threat from the Congress or any other Opposition parties. He claimed that the state government had done a lot for the well being of the people of the state and the party would again sweep the elections. He hit out at former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on his charge that the government was trying to implicate him in false cases. He said there was no move from the government to frame the former Chief Minister in any false case. He alleged that Mr Virbhadra Singh was in the habit of remaining in news and that was why he was making such accusations. He alleged that the Congress leader was trying to blackmail the state government officers by going to the Press time and again on various issues. He justified the hike in power rates, adding that the power rates in case of farmers, antayodaya families and other living below poverty line had not been increased. He said power rates in the state were much less as compared to other states. He claimed the “vikas yatra” of the BJP as a grand success. He said the yatra was getting good response from people all over the state. The Chief Minister also took part in the “legislator at yours doorstep” programme and listened to the grievances of the public on the spot. The function was also attended by senior district-level officers. |
|
Virbhadra
accuses BJP of vendetta Shimla, November 4 Mr Virbhadra Singh, while talking to mediapersons, alleged that these people intended to defame him and somehow remove him from the political scene of the state. He refused to identify these Congress leaders and said the people throughout the state knew about them. He said so far he had been lucky to have escaped their dragnet. He said Mr Dhumal and his (Virbhadra’s) political detractors had got unnerved and desperate by the massive public response he was getting in his statewide campaign against the “non-performance, misdeeds and corruption” prevailing in the BJP-HVC government. This and the clean chit by the CBI to him had shaken the Chief Minister who was now resorting to blatant misuse of government machinery and unfair means to frame him in cooked up cases, he alleged. Mr Virbhadra Singh alleged that government servants and investigating agencies of the state were being used as a tool for personal vendetta against him and they were being pressured to frame him in some or the other case. Those who did not oblige him had been summarily transferred, he said. |
|
Kangra bears brunt of groupism: Cong
leader Shimla, November 4 Talking to newsmen here today, she said that the meagre funds available for development were being diverted to Hamirpur, the home district of Mr P.K.Dhumal, Chief Minister. As a result, Kangra was suffering. The roads in the district, which had one-fourth of the state’s population, were in a bad shape and even the metalled roads had turned into kutcha roads due to lack of maintenance. However, in contrast, in the adjoining Hamirpur even the link roads had been improved to the level of National Highway. The Panchayati Raj institutions were also being given out a raw deal. Funds meant for these institutions were being distributed at the behest of ministers. Even the funds sanctioned by her, as MP, for various works had not been properly utilised. In some cases the sanctioned funds had been returned after three years. She cited the instance of Tanda Medical College for which she sanctioned Rs 7 lakh four years ago. The Deputy Commissioner had, after repeated reminders, informed her now that the amount had been returned as unutilised. The amount of Rs 25 lakh released by her for installing handpumps in water-scarcity areas had also not been spent even though two summers had past since. She criticised the Dhumal government for hiking the power tariff thrice in as many years. In a state which claimed to be powerhouse of the country, electricity should be cheaper, she said. |
|
Himachal
Ratna conferred on
9 Shimla, November 4 Dr Suraj
Bhan, Governor, Mr Ashok A. Desai, Chief Justice of the Uttaranchal High Court, presented the awards at an impressive function held at the Raj Bhavan here today. The recipients included Mr Justice Om
Prakash, Chairman, state Human Rights Commission and Lokayukta, Brig Kapil Mohan
(retd), MD, Mohan Meakins Ltd, Dr Tej Pratap, Vice-Chancellor, Krishi Vishvavidyalaya Palampur, Mrs Chandresh
Kumari, MP, Mr Khwaja Khaleelullah, social activist, Dr Balak Ram
Verma, chairman, Indus Medical Foundation, Mr R.K. Garg, Managing Director, Timber Trail, Dr Shabab
Lalit, poet, and Dr Vishva Nath Sharma, Director, Baidhyanath Ayurveda
Bhavan. They were honoured with a shawl, memento and citation. Dr Suraj Bhan said the practice of honouring talent and distinguished services was important as it promoted a sense of dedication, competition and work culture. He said the best farmer, horticulturist, industrialist, social worker, doctor and engineer for a given year should be identified at the district and state-level and suitably honoured. The Governor said efforts should be made to identify and promote talent. He said there was no dearth of talent in the state and only opportunities needed to be provided to bring it to the fore. Mr Justice Ashok A. Desai in his presidential address stressed the need for humanising society. He said nothing was more dangerous to society than intellectual dishonesty and added that intellectual integrity must be maintained at all costs. Mr Kishori Lal
Vaidya, Industries Minister, said the state would become self-reliant by 2010 with the exploitation of power potential of the state. He said the state government was giving top priority to the hydel sector and work on several new projects had been initiated in private, joint and government sectors. Dr S.D. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, Himachal Pradesh University, presented a paper on the role of intellectuals in society. Mr Bhavya Nidhi Sharma, National Secretary-General of the conference, said his organisation was committed to the cause of humanism, nationalism and peace. Mr Virbhadra Singh, former Chief Minister, Mrs Vidya Stokes, PCC chief,
MLAs, officers, office-bearers of the conference were prominent among those present on the occasion. |
|
School dropout rate down to 3 pc Shimla, November 4 The rate has declined even upto two per cent in Chamba, Lahaul Spiti, Kullu and Sirmour following the implementation of the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), according to an official here. The cost of the Rs 129 crore project, started in the four districts in 1996, is shared by the Centre and the state in the ratio of 85:15. The spokesman said the objective to ensure 100 per cent enrolment of the children of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in schools and the government had also been achieved. To ensure active participation of the local people in the primary education programme and better understanding between parents and teachers, village education societies and parent teacher society have been constituted. Efforts are also on to provide toilets for girl students in every school. Apart from the DPEP, several other programmes are being implemented in the state to strengthen the primary education infrastructure. To ensure that at least three “pucca’’ rooms in every primary school by March 2002, an ambitious Rs 126 crore scheme named “Sarswati Bal Sankalp Yojna’’ has been launched. At present, 6,65,994 students are enrolled in 10,519 primary schools with a strength of 32,952 teachers. To ensure adequate teachers in these educational institutions, 2,100 “vidya upasak’’ have been appointed. The government plans to appoint more ‘’vidya upasak’’ to meet the shortage of teachers in far-flung areas of the state. The female literacy rate in the state, which was 2.9 per cent in 1948, has gone up to 68.08 per cent in 2001, while the male literacy rate has increased from 7.5 per cent in 1951, to 86.2 percent this year, the spokesman said.
UNI |
|
HP to cultivate herbal plants Shimla, November 4 Minister of State for Revenue and Biotechnology Rajan Sushant, while presiding over a meeting of senior officers here yesterday, said 20 development blocks had been identified for the first phase of the project which would provide employment to about 10,000 youth. He said 5,000 bighas would be covered in each block for the purpose. A soil-testing campaign would be launched by a team of experts from biotechnology universities of horticulture and agriculture and state departments of agriculture, horticulture and ayurveda by the end of this month, he added. Five species of medicinal and aromatic plants have been recommended as viable for cultivation. They include rose, geranium, satawar and sanei. The minister said the state government would shortly set up two biotechnology parks, one each at Shimla and Kangra, which would facilitate pharmaceutical companies to refine and manufacture bio-drugs in the state itself. He said processing and extraction units would be installed in each block. Instead of exporting raw produce of medicinal and aromatic plants, the state would send its products in semi-processed from, he added. Dr Sushant said a team of experts would go to Delhi shortly to discuss potential national and international markets with ministers and central departments and other authorised agencies actively involved in the marketing of medicinal and aromatic products.
UNI |
|
CM raps
officials for not paying
watchmen Hamirpur, November 4 Prof Dhumal was upset when he learnt that the village chowkidars had not received their salaries for the past six months. He directed the revenue authorities to give them salaries at the earliest. He also directed the authorities of the Welfare department to move the case of a disabled person for regular employment, who had approached him earlier in the dwar. This is the second time that the Chief Minister had visited his area as per his earlier announcements to meet them at four places on the first Sunday of every month. Prof Dhumal today dedicated a newly constructed bridge at Jangelberi. It would help nearly 23,000 people of the nearby villages. He said construction of roads and bridges had been taken up on priority and in all 200 new bridges had been constructed and 2,100 kms of new road added during the past three and half years rule of the BJP government in the state. |
|
Rain dampens
celebrations Shimla, November 4 Brisk showers accompanied with icy winds lashed the city
throughout the day, forcing people to remain indoors. The overcast skies denied an early glimpse of moon to fasting women who assembled on The Ridge in strength, braving the weather. It had become a tradition with the women to offer mass prayers on The Ridge, a vantage point from where the moon can be seen sooner than in the low-lying areas. |
|
Smokers
give ban the
go-by Shimla, November 4 Much before the Supreme Court, Himachal Pradesh had banned smoking in public places. The ban here was imposed on May 12, 1997, when the Governor granted his assent to the “HP Prohibition of Smoking and Non-Smokers Health Protection bill, 1997,” which was passed by the state Assembly in April the same year. However, following initial fear the ban was being violated not only in public places but also in the secretariat and other offices of the government. Police personnel on duty, who are supposed to enforce the ban, are themselves at times seen smoking. There is no one to stop defiant passengers from smoking in buses, hospitals and other places. Earlier, during the BJP regime of Mr Shanta Kumar a ban was imposed on consumption of liquor in public places and rest houses of the government and it was observed effectively. However, the menace again started increasing and two government officials were recently arrested while consuming liquor in the state secretariat. The government has also not been able to effectively check drunken driving which has claimed a large number of lives in bus accidents. Although spitting is banned on The Mall here since the British era and a fine Rs 50 is prescribed for the offence, yet there is no one to enforce the rule. |
|
No action
against noise pollution Una, November 4 As if this is not enough, permits for the use of loudspeakers for religious functions and marriages is given indiscriminately. Even those using loudspeakers without permission go scotfree with not a single case filed against them by the police. In fact, the case of loud-speakers in the town has effected studies of students who are to appear in middle, high and plus one and plus two examinations in the next three months. College students, too, are busy preparing for this examinations. As per the rules, the use of loudspeakers is prohibited between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
|
Pay interest, insurance firm
told Shimla, November 4 According to the complainant, he had insured his Maruti van from April 7, 1999, to April 6, 2000. The van with an accident on October 16, 1999 at Bilaspur. The matter was reported to the police as well to the insurance company. The complainant incurred Rs 40,627 on the repair of the van. But the insurance company informed the complainant that the claim could not be settled as the driver of the van did not have a valid driving licence at the time of the accident. The surveyor appointed by the company assessed the loss at Rs 33,179. While delivering the order for the Bench, Mr Goel observed that the driver was holding an effective driving licence on the date of the accident. Therefore, he directed the insurance company to pay Rs 33,179 to the complainant. |
|
Three killed
in mishaps Mandi, November 4 |
|
Sub-centres sans drugs: Mahasangh Kulu, November 4 This was alleged by Mr
N.R. Thakur, president, Himachal Pradesh Multi-Purpose Health Services Karamchari Mahasangh
(MPHSK) at Nagar, 20 km from here, while addressing a one-day seminar of the district unit of the mahasangh yesterday. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
