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Tuesday,
December 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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HPSSB selections: Cong seeks probe Move to
cut equity in Wildflower Hotel rejected Security
‘lax at HP border’
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DISTRICT DIARY 4 train
robbers arrested Lantana
renders land barren YC men
burn PM’s effigy ABVP
activists stage dharna Himachal
Governor, CM greet Christians
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HPSSB selections: Cong seeks probe Shimla, December 24 On the other hand, the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, defended the functioning of the board and said he would not hesitate to take action against the board functionaries in case any member produced some solid proof in respect of their claim. The issue was discussed under rule 130 under which a motion was moved in the Vidhan Sabha by Thakur Kaul Singh. Thakur Kaul Singh demanded that the selection board should be wound up and the job of selecting candidates for Classes III and IV should be reassigned to the Public Service Commission. He alleged that candidates with higher qualifications were disqualified and those with lesser education were selected for various posts. He said interviews should be held by the board at the district level because candidates were put to inconvenience as they had to go all the way to Hamirpur where the headquarter of the board was located. Mr R.R. Rao (Cong) said the board had become a burden on the exchequer of the state and merit had become a casualty. Mr Babu Ram Mandayal (BJP) said the reputation of such institutions should not be tarnished and any wrong should be pin-pointed by the Opposition members. Replying to the discussion, Mr Dhumal said the propaganda against the functioning of the board was malicious and challenged Mr Rao to produce a single candidate whose selection was done on wrong considerations. He said the board was located at Hamirpur which was a central place, whereas Shimla was a tourist place and accommodation for candidates would have been costly here. The Chief Minister said the board had been conducting interviews at even far-flung places. Mr Rakesh Pathania (BJP) raised objection to a non-governmental organization giving “Himachal Rattan” awards to certain people and demanded that such awards should be instituted only by the government. He said Mrs Chandresh Kumari, a Congress MP, who had lost three assembly elections, was also given the award and she had been holding public meetings to celebrate it. Mrs Asha Kumari (Cong) took objection to the remarks of Mr Pathania and said that if Mrs Chandresh Kumari had lost the election, Mr Shanta Kumar, union minister, who was also listed for the award, had lost the assembly election when he was Chief Minister. The Chief Minister said at the moment there were no rules to prevent the NGOs from instituting such awards. He said the function was initially scheduled to be held in the university, but the venue was shifted to Raj Bhavan because of the strike by students. The House passed the Himachal Pradesh Infrastructure Development Bill which was moved by the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal. The Bill provides for a framework for participation by persons other than the state government and government agencies in financing, construction, maintenance and operation of infrastructure projects and to raise resources on behalf of the state government for infrastructure development. A board headed by the Chief Secretary would be set up for the purpose. |
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Move to cut equity in Wildflower Hotel rejected Shimla, December 24 Mr Dhumal was replying to a question of Mr Rakesh Pathania (BJP) in the Vidhan Sabha. He said the Cabinet during the Congress regime had rejected the recommendations of a high-powered committee to accept the offer of the Taj group for constructing a new hotel at the place where the historical residence of Lord Kitchner, commander-in-chief of the British army, was gutted. The building was converted into a HPTDC hotel before it was reduced to ashes. The Chief Minister said the ratio of equity participation between the state government and the Oberois was changed several times. The hotel was proposed to be constructed at a cost of Rs 40 crore, but the work was completed at Rs 100 crore by the East India Hotel group of the Oberois. This had reduced the share of the state government to a meager Rs 7 crore, he added. While the hotel management had claimed that the hotel would make profits in two years, but nothing had come so far during the past six years, Mr Dhumal said. The Chief Minister also wondered why the assessed value of Rs 5.40 crore of property was rounded off to Rs 5 crore while entering into an agreement for a joint venture project with the Oberois. Mr Virbhadra Singh said the Cabinet had taken a conscious decision to reconstruct the hotel in a joint venture with the Oberois as their offer was considered the best. In a written reply to a question by Mrs Vidya Stokes (Congress), the Chief Minister stated that 36 border posts had been established along the 216 km border of the state with Jammu and Kashmir as a preventive measure. He said 159 village defence committees had been constituted in the border areas of Chamba and 472 special police officers had been deployed in these areas. Screening of labourers and shawl vendors was being carried out regularly, he added. |
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Security
‘lax at HP border’ Nurpur, December 24 Though the Kangra valley has been linked with railway line there are no arrangements for checking trains entering the Kangra valley. Chakki and Mirthal bridges linking Himachal Pradesh are considered important strategic points. The security on these bridges and barriers is inadequate causing concern even to the police. |
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MLAs get laptops Shimla, December 24 Mr Dhumal said with laptop computers the members would be in a position to update their knowledge about the development works being carried one in their constituencies. He said this facility would also help the MLAs keep in touch with the public having similar facilities in their respective constituencies. Mr Gulab Singh Thakur, Speaker, said that providing laptop computer to the members was a step forward. Mr Virbhadra Singh, former Chief Minister and leader of the Opposition, Mr Ram Lal Thakur former Chief Minister and MLA, all members of the Council of Ministers and legislative Assembly were present. |
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DISTRICT
DIARY Kulu *
* * The approach roads to the main bus stand at Kulu and Bhuntar are in a miserable condition. While the Municipal authorities expect the HRTC to get the roads repaired, the HRTC authorities feel it’s the MC’s job. So, over the past four years, potholes and broken patches have been dotting the main road and the pedestrian path leading to the schools and colleges in Kulu. The muddy water splashes on to passersby and could cause accidents. Will the authorities wake up and do something?
* * * The PWD Rest House premises at Dhalpur (Dak Bungalow) should be transferred to the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare for the construction of a club house and an indoor sports stadium. The residents of this township and tourists have no place for recreation and play. No wonder that youths of the area are inclined towards the use of drugs and other psychotropic substances rather than sports because of the lack of facilities. Mr Karan Singh, Minister of Environment and Primary Education, who belongs to this town, has assured the District Table Tennis Association to take up the matter.
* * * The condition of the National Highway from Kulu to Manali is miserable. The berms are broken and the 20-km stretch of road from Kulu to Patlikuhal could prove to be a death trap to two-wheeler riders. Coal tar pavement at some parts of the road is in progress these days. But engineers feel this is sheer wastage of government funds and time as the temperature is dipping to sub-zero and the carpet paved is peeling off. A minimum temperature of 16° C is required for 24 hours after the pavement for the tar to set in. Also, it is alleged, that the paving work between Kulu and Bhuntar is below standard. The “haphazard and hurriedly” done work by the PWD has become a traffic hazard.
* * * The district police has started a campaign to streamline the growing traffic in this district. Though periodical traffic checks have been carried out, little has been done to check driving on high beam. Blindness caused due to the use of full lights and no use of dippers caused a big accident last year when 42 persons were killed as their bus fell into the Beas at Ramshila here. Check on unauthorised public transport drivers is also needed as many drivers of private buses and three-wheeler scooters allegedly do not have licences. Speed limits within the towns and visible signboards on the roads showing schools, pedestrian crossings etc are missing in this district. |
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4 train robbers arrested Mandi, December 24 The SHO, Jogindernagar, said yesterday that four persons — Sarwan Kumar, Manu Ram, Vidyasagar and Ravi Kumar — had been arrested while the fifth accused Shashi Kumar, managed to escape. One of the accused, who was beaten by people, has been admitted to Civil Hospital, Jogindernagar. The modus operandi of the gang was to follow passengers in the train, mostly military personnel coming home on leave, and threaten them with a dagger. The gang robbed an Army man, Prithvi Singh, of Rs 4000. He was going to Kotli village near Mandi. He came out on the platform at Ahju railway station and narrated the incident to the people. The jawan also identified one of the robbers who disclosed the identity of others after he was thrashed by people. They were later handed over to the police. |
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Lantana
renders land barren Kumarhatti, December 24 A survey by this correspondent of Dharampur and Solan blocks showed the gravity of the situation. Helpless farmers, due to lack of knowledge of a scientific method to arrest its growth have been fast losing their valuable agricultural land. The bush was brought, here by an American missionary, Dr Carlton, around 1837. This bush has now virtually become a nightmare for the farmers as farm scientists have not yet developed any technology to arrest its proliferation. Complaining about the
nonchalance of the authorities in this regard, they said lantana had spread from forest areas to fields and ghasins. Mr Nand Lal, president of Kabakalan panchayat, said though the farmers uproot this deadly bush from the fields as soon as it appears, but it cannot be done in the ghasins where the cattle graze. Goyala, Chandi, Gadsi, Patta, Bhadalag, Dakirana, Banasar, Kabakalan, Neri Kalan, Bholi and Bhojnagar are among the worst-hit panchayats. |
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YC men burn PM’s effigy Shimla, December 24 Meanwhile, Shimla District Youth Congress members held a rally and raised slogan against “anti-people” policies of the state government. They also criticised the hike in the electricity tariff, and the imposition of user charges. Addressing the rally youth Congress (R&D) president, Mr Kamal Dholta, said the party would go to the masses at the village level. He said dharnas and rallies would be held throughout the state until the hike in the electricity tariff and the imposition of user charges were withdrawn. District Shimla Youth Congress (Urban) President Ved Prakash alleged that the government was misleading the common people by adopting “anti-people” policies. Mr Inder Jeet Singh, Mr Deep Kumar Dogra, Mr Sanjay Chauhan, Mr Arvind Sharma also participated in the procession. |
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ABVP activists
stage dharna Shimla, December 24 The campus president of the
ABVP, Mr Virender Thakur, said all candidates were not aware of their examination
centres. Though the Law Department was earlier fixed as the centre for the most of the candidates, yet many of them came to know that the centre had been changed after reaching the campus, he said. The protesters also demanded the construction of a reception-cum-inquiry counter and the installation of a guidance map at the university gate. Meanwhile, they also submitted a memorandum to Prof
N.K. Sharda, Pro, Vice-Chancellor of the university. |
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Himachal
Governor, CM
greet Christians Shimla, December 24 Wishing them happiness and joy, they said Lord Christ gave the eternal message of love, compassion and brotherhood. They urged the people to strengthen these values and work together for humanity and harmony. Dr Suraj Bhan also exchanged greetings with the members of the Christian community on the eve of Christmas. Father Ambrose, Principal St. Edward’s School, Father Henry, Manager, St. Edward’s School, Sister Antoinette, Principal Convent of Jesus and Mary, Sister Jacintha, Tara Hall and Father Edward called on the Governor at Raj Bhavan and greeted him on the occasion. |
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House adjourned sine die Shimla, December 24 |
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CM invites
Karzai Shimla, December 24 Mr Dhumal today wrote a letter to Mr Karzai saying that it was indeed a matter of great pride for the people of the state that he had taken over as the head of the Afghan Government. |
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Rana, Sohal remanded Shimla, December 24 |
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