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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Friday, December 11, 1998 |
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AIDS death jolts administration ROHTAK, Dec 10 — The death of an AIDS patient of Sondhi village in Jhajjar district has shaken the administration. It has decided to launch an awareness campaign among people about the disease. Rs 7900 cr plan to augment power sector HISAR, Dec 10 — The Haryana Government plans to invest about Rs 7900 crore in the power rehabilitation and distribution programme, besides, renovating the existing thermal plants in the next decade. |
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 Haryana revises allotment policy CHANDIGARH, Dec 10 — Haryana today revised its industrial infrastructure development policy framed in 1997 to make it more "industrial friendly and progressive". |
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Prasad for review of Red
Cross activities |
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AIDS death jolts administration ROHTAK, Dec 10 — The death of an AIDS patient of Sondhi village in Jhajjar district has shaken the administration. It has decided to launch an awareness campaign among people about the disease. Mr Arun Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Jhajjar, said it appeared that AIDS was spreading its tentacles all over. Last year, a resident of Chhochhi village had died of AIDS and the incident had hit the headlines. Another AIDS victim, of Sondhi village was struggling for life in a hospital at Delhi. The DC said in the first phase of the awareness campaign, meetings would be held at the block level in the district. The first of these meetings will be held at Beri on December 24 and at Bahadurgarh on December 29. The industrial town of Bahadurgarh is most vulnerable to the spread of this disease, according to Mr Arun Kumar. All sarpanches, panches, numberdars, chowkidars, teachers working in high and secondary schools, revenue patwaries, gram sachivs, anganwari workers, employees posted in various offices and health workers had been asked to attend these meetings he said. Various voluntary organisations, municipal employees and associations of different industrial workers had also been invited for the Bahadurgarh meeting. The same exercise, the DC said, would be repeated at Jhajjar, Salhawas and Matanhail blocks. After this, major villages like Dighal, Chhuchhakwas and Badli would be covered. He said besides a series of lectures by experts, posters, pamphlets, leaflets etc regarding AIDS would be distributed in the district. Films on safeguards against AIDS would also be shown at the meeting which would be conducted and managed by the district Red Cross Society.
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Haryana revises allotment policy CHANDIGARH, Dec 10 — Haryana today revised its industrial infrastructure development policy framed in 1997 to make it more "industrial friendly and progressive". The State Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, approved the amended policy. According to the amended policy, all industrial plots or sheds would be allotted across the table keeping in view the viability of the project and capability of entrepreneurs in case where the project cost is Rs 5 crore instead of Rs 50 crore at present for the estates falling in high and medium potential zones and Rs 3 crore in other industrial zones. The Cabinet also dropped the condition of giving an undertaking by the applicant that he would set up or shift his registered office within the State. An official spokesman said here that now the high potential zone would comprise areas in the municipal limits of Gurgaon town, Gurgaon block (except Manesar) and the municipal limits of the Faridabad Municipal complex, Faridabad and Ballabgarh blocks of Faridabad district. While the controlled areas of Kundli, Bahadurgarh, Panipat, IMT, Manesar and Panchkula urban estate would constitute the medium potential zone, the rest of the State would comprise the low potential zone. The allotment of industrial plots and sheds falling in low potential zone will be made by the concerned agency at its own level, while the allotment in the rest of the areas (except in case of the auction areas) will be made on the recommendations of the existing Allotment Committee. The Panchkula industrial estates will be taken out of the auction zone as it is not a high potential zone area from the industrial point of view. It has also been decided that if an allottee is not able to complete the prescribed formalities for allotment of a plot within the prescribed period, the allotting agency may waive or reduce the extension fee if it is convinced that extension is necessitated on account of delayed action by a government agency. In all cases where the letter of intent has been cancelled and the same is considered for revival or revalidation for reasons whatsoever such revival or revalidation of the letter would be at the rates prevailing at the time of such decisions. The extension fee has also
been rationalised. For sheds the fee would be Rs 20 per
sq foot in high potential zone, Rs 10 per sq foot in
medium potential zone and Rs 4 per sq foot in low
potential zone. For plots it will be Rs 100, Rs 50 and Rs
20, respectively. |
Rs 7900 cr plan to augment power
sector HISAR, Dec 10 — The Haryana Government plans to invest about Rs 7900 crore in the power rehabilitation and distribution programme, besides, renovating the existing thermal plants in the next decade. According to the Minister of State for Power, Mr Attar Singh Saini, under the plan, the government will set up 85 new substations. Besides, the capacity of 74 existing substations will also be augmented. Mr Saini said the World Bank, the OECF of Japan, the DFID of the UK and the CIDA of Canada would provide the funds. He said the World Bank had already released the first instalment of Rs 240 crore and would provide the next instalment of Rs 1100 crore by April. The loan would be repayable in 18 years with an initial moratorium of three years. The minister said during the past two and a half years the government had constructed 26 new substations, increasing the number to 409. Besides transmission lines of about 540 km length were laid down. During the period about 1575 MVA additional capacity was also added. The state government planned to install 70,000 new transformers besides laying down 12000-km long additional 11 KV lines. The minister clarified that the reforms were not aimed at power privatisation but to ensure regular supply. It was only in the distribution sector that the government planned to set up a joint venture with a private company. Referring to the Haryana Power Regulatory Commission, the minister said although it had been vast powers, its main role would be advisory in nature. The state government retained the right to issue policy directives, he said. The minister said the government would continue to supply power to farmers at the subsidised rate of 50 paise per unit. Reiterating the resolve of the government to ensure uninterrupted power supply, the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam had twice supplied regular electricity in November on a trial basis
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Prasad for review of Red Cross
activities CHANDIGARH, Dec 10 -- The Haryana Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, today exhorted delegates of various Red Cross societies to review all the Red Cross welfare activities across the country and abroad and implement the best activities in their respective regions for helping suffering humanity. The Governor, who is also the President of the Haryana State Red Cross Society, was speaking after the inauguration of a three-day tracing workshop at Haryana Raj Bhavan here. The workshop has been organised jointly by the Haryana State Red Cross Society, the Indian Red Cross Society and the Regional International Red Cross Society. The Governor said the workshop had four main objectives. Firstly, the Red Cross Movement would trace and help those foreigners who had been released from Indian jails after completion of their punishment given to them due to visiting India without passport; secondly to help the refugees; thirdly to extend timely assistance to victims of natural calamities; and fourthly, the most important among all, to rehabilitate those children who were found orphans, helpless and distressed without any distinction of caste, creed, community, religion and language. Dr Manoj Mathur, Secretary-General, Indian Red Cross Society, in his key-note address, said the workshop aimed at deliberating on working for a cordial meeting of deserted members of a family in India and abroad through the Red Cross societies which were meant for human welfare during human tragedies and natural calamities. The main task of the Red Cross was to provide relief, help and aids to the suffering humanity, he added. Mr Bruce Bibber, Regional delegate, International Red Cross Society, said the tracing activities reflected a commitment to the principle of "respect for the family". He said there were 175 national Red Cross societies which had also started work on an issue of common concern for the whole region. Tracing in times of war has one of the oldest activities of the Red Cross, he said. Dr K L Batra, Secretary of the Haryana Red Cross Society, highlighted various Red Cross activities of the State branch. The workshop was attended by delegates from Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, J&K, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, besides a delegate from Bangladesh Ms Manorvara Sarkar. Dr P L Jindal, Director General, Health Services, Haryana also spoke.
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PWD 'grabs' hospital land GURGAON, Dec 10 — A race seems to be on in Haryana to grab land, large areas of which fall in the National Capital Region (NCR), and government agencies are also not lagging behind. A case has come to light in which the Public Works Department (PWD) has encroached on a big chunk of land belonging to the Health Department. The land, measuring about 2,000 square yards, is part of the premises of general hospital here and is opposite to the office of the Municipal Council. Inquiries reveal that the PWD had "illegally" taken possession of the land more than 10 years ago. Due to heavy political clout of mandarins in the PWD, powers that be have ignored several representations of the Health Department to vacate the land. The hospital has also sent details of the particular case to the Director General, Health, Haryana. The Superintending Engineer, PWD, could not be contacted today for comments as he was out of station. However, a superintendent in his office, confirmed that the maintenance wing of the PWD was functioning on the premises. He rationalised the encroachment saying that the maintenance wing provided prompt services to the hospital, services of which fell in the category of "essential services". An official of the Health Department said the matter was brought to the notice of the wife of Chief Minister Bansi Lal when she was here regarding a public function on August 15. She had reportedly visited the site and was sympathetic to the cause of the hospital. Earlier, the hospital authorities had approached several top officials in the government, including successive ministers of the PWD. All had promised to take up their cause and get the land freed from encroachment, but nothing had changed so far. Once a Commissioner, Gurgaon Division, Mr S.P. Sharma, had also visited the site to inquire into the case. In a letter to the Secretary, Health, he had affirmed that the land had been illegally occupied and recommended measures to get it vacated by the PWD. Officials of the Health Department, who for obvious reasons would not like to go on record, lamented that the sound pollution emanating from the workshop of the PWD on the hospital's premises was acting as health hazard to the patients admitted in the institute. Cement and other building material is dumped without any consideration. Hospital staff said the Health Department planned to provide lodging facilities to attendants of patients.
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HVPN disconnects 3,300
connections in Rohtak ROHTAK, Dec 10 — The electricity connections of over 3,300 consumers in the city have been disconnected by the Haryana Vidyut Parsaran Nigam (HVPN) for non-payment of bills. The HVPN has launched a drive against the defaulters who have not paid bills for the period ranging from two months to two years. During the weeklong drive, the HVPN has recovered Rs 44.96 lakh from the defaulters. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Kumar, said the nigam inspected 659 meters installed at various residences and commercial establishments during November. He said, the HVPN detected 157 cases of power theft and imposed Rs 28 lakh as fines. He said 39 cases of power theft had been registered with various police stations in the district.
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Strike may affect essential
services CHANDIGARH, Dec 10 — Power and water supply besides other basic services to the city are likely to be affected as various employee unions will be participating in the mass rally to be held tomorrow. The strike call has been given by the National Platform of Mass Organisations. The Army help is being requisitioned. A rally will be held at Sector 17 in which employees from Punjab are also expected to take part. The National Organisation of Government Employees and the Chandigarh Government Transport Workers Union have decided not to join tomorrow's strike and have appealed to fellow employees to report for duty. Meanwhile, in a statement the Engineering Department said the employees going on strike would incur a break in their service and shall forfeit their past service benefits. The principle of no work, no pay would be strictly enforced. Necessary arrangements for maintaining the continuity of power supply had been made and bills having December 11 as last day for payment have been extended to the next working day. However, residents could
contact at the Sector 17 and Sector 9 complaint centres
at telephone numbers 703242 or 706574 and at 742370 or
743940, respectively. Steps to maintain essential
services CHANDIGARH, Dec 10 — The Haryana Government has taken necessary steps to ensure maintenance of essential services and law and order during the proposed strike tomorrow, the call for which has been given by various organisations. Stating this here today, an official spokesman said the Government was hopeful of normal functioning of all the Government institutions and offices in the state tomorrow. One of the organisations of the Haryana Government employees had given notice of a strike in August this year. The State Government had invoked ESMA for six months in some departments to deal with the situation. These included the Departments of Public Works (B&R), Public Works (Irrigation) and Public Works Public Health) Health and Medical Education. ESMA has also been invoked by the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam and the Haryana Power Generation Corporation since September 2, 1998. The spokesman clarified that ESMA had not been especially invoked to deal with the proposed Bharat Bandh tomorrow.
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'Ma-beti mela' organised FATEHABAD, Dec 10 — The SP, Mr K. Rajbir Deswal, has said education of girls is necessary for the betterment of society. Mr Deswal was speaking on the occasion of a "ma- beti mela" organised jointly by the local unit of the district primary education project and the local police-public coordination forum, Fateh Dhwaj, at Hanspur village in this district. Mr Deswal said awareness among womenfolk was necessary for providing girls with education and these "ma-beti melas" could prove to be a catalyst in motivating the women to enrol, their girls in schools and allowing them to complete their studies. He lauded the role of the DPEP in this direction and said these melas should be organised more often. Hundreds of women and girls from the surrounding villages took part in the mela. An exhibition of teaching AIDS was also organised on this occasion. Some sports activities for girls were also organised. Mrs Usha Dahiya and Mrs Nazi Munjal, both office-bearers of Fateh Dhwaj, gave away the prizes. Mrs Dahiya called upon the womenfolk to educate their girl children.
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JD working committee meeting on Dec
13 SONEPAT, Dec 10 — A meeting of the working committee of the Haryana Pradesh Janata Dal will be held here on December 13 to discuss the political situation in the state. Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, president of the state unit of the party, told mediapersons here today that the meeting would also review the law and order situation which had worsened on account of the state government's failure to check the activities of anti-social and anti-national elements. He also disclosed that the meeting would take a decision about the setting up of party units in various districts. Mr Vidrohi also disclosed that the party would also discuss the failure of the Bansi Lal Government on all fronts and would seek the support of other Opposition parties for launching a joint agitation.
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Residents block traffic SONEPAT, Dec 10 — Traffic on the Sonepat-Murthal road near the Housing Board Colony blocked by resident for about three hours here yesterday in protest against the killing on Tuesday night of Rajinder Kumar, a young shopkeeper, by certain armed persons near the residence of a Haryana minister in the colony and the inaction of the security guard of the said minister. The residents raised slogans against the police and the Bansi Lal Government. The SP, Mr Selvraj who reached the scene assured the residents that the police would soon apprehend the culprits as it had made a breakthrough in the case following information given by family members of the victim. He also assured that the police would intensify night patrolling. The blockade was the lifted.
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Open darbars a fiasco FATEHABAD, Dec 10 — Open darbars started by the state government for the redressal of public grievances are proving counter-productive. The open darbars were started by the government in May this year. The Deputy Commissioner holds the open darbar at the district headquarter, once a week. Senior officers from various government departments listen to the grievances of people and are supposed to redress them on the spot. But the government seems to be proving counter-productive. At least of 100 officials from various government departments come to the district headquarters to attend the darbar. On most of the occasions even the number of complainants is less. Even those complainants who come to the 'darbar' have complaints regarding Irrigation, Electricity, Water Supply and revenue officials of other departments have to sit idle for hours together. While senior officers of various departments sit in the 'darbars', their subordinates skip work in the absence of their bosses. The open darbar day has become a "day off" for government employees with Saturdays and Sundays being day offs, it has virtually become a four-day week.
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BTC admn block inaugurated CHANDIGARH, Dec 10 — Mr Gautam Kaul, Director-General, Indo Tibetan Border Police Force, inaugurated an administrative block at the Basic Training Centre (BTC), Bhanu, near Panchkula, today. He inspected the campus and supervised the training activities of the centre. Addressing officers and men, he stressed upon the modernisation of training and desired that there should be an exclusive computer training wing at the centre. He planted a sapling on the occasion. He was welcomed by Mr N K Mishra, DIG, BTC, and briefed about the training activities of the centre.
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Hathnikund link channel work to start
by Dec 15 YAMUNANAGAR, Dec 10 — The work on the "link channel" downstream of Hathnikund barrage is going to start by December 15. According to sources it would connect the newly built Hathnikund Barrage with the old western Yamuna canal. The letter for forest clearance from the Centre which was the main hurdle has been received by the Irrigation Department. It is learnt that M/s Larsen and Toubro has already been approved by Haryana Irrigation Department to construct the Rs 30 crore channel. The sources confirmed that the letter of acceptance would be issued by Irrigation Department to the company in a few days. According to the sources, the channel would take off from down stream of Hathnikund barrage with higher capacity of 20,000 cusecs of water. The present capacity of the existing western Yamuna canal from Tajewala is 15,000 cusecs. The channel would be completed within 15 months.
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