Himachal Assembly Speaker denies rift with CM

Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker B B L Butail today asserted that he has "best relations" with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, and dismissed allegations that development of his Palampur constituency was being "ignored" due to his differences with the chief minister.
"I have best relations with the chief minister and my Palampur Assembly constituency has seen speedy development during the past two years and several major projects have been started and completed," the speaker told reporters here.
He said the allegations of his differences with the chief minister hampering development of the area was "false and misleading".
Giving details, Butail said the waste disposal management project which he had got approved in 2004-5 was hanging fire as suitable land was not made available to the municipal committee but due to his efforts the project was put on fast track and inaugurated recently.

He said Rs 1.30-crore is being spent to provide sewerage connection to left out areas of Palampur town while a sum of Rs 1.5 crore is being spent on augmentation of water supply to the town.