1500 cr plan to check water-logging
HISAR, Nov 2 — The Haryana Government has prepared a Rs 1500 crore masterplan to solve the problem of water logging in the state. The plan is being given finishing touches.

Haryana leaders mobilised
GURGAON, Nov 2 — Political leaders of Haryana are all set to play a role in the neighbouring states of Delhi and Rajasthan, and in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly elections are due this month-end.

6 DCs transferred in reshuffle
CHANDIGARH, Nov 2 — The Haryana Government today ordered the transfer/postings of 12 bureaucrats, including six Deputy Commissioners.

• Haryana order on electoral rolls
• 4 cases of murder registered
• Inter-state gang busted
• Haryana postings
• Free travel facility

1500 cr plan to check water-logging
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Nov 2 — The Haryana Government has prepared a Rs 1500 crore masterplan to solve the problem of water logging in the state. The plan is being given finishing touches.

Highly placed sources said the Chief Minister Mr Bansi Lal had detailed discussions with water management experts during his two-day stay here. He also talked to scientists from CCS Haryana Agricultural University here. Mr Bansi Lal is said to have already taken the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Som Pal into confidence on the issue.

Mr Bansi Lal discussed the matter with Mr Som Pal during the Bhadra visit yesterday. The Chief Minister is reported to have expressed concern over the problems being faced by the farmers due to water logging.

The masterplan envisages a multi-pronged approach to check and control water-logging in Haryana. This includes surface drainage by way of digging drains, sub-surface drainage through tubewells and horizontal drainage by draining out water through pipes.

The surface drainage programme is already under way. Under this plan, which will cost about Rs 425 crore, a drain is being dug from Hisar cantonment up to Ghaggar river in Sirsa.

A massive afforestation drive would also be launched along canal banks. According to water management experts, seepage from canals is said to be one of the main reasons for water logging.

On the Chandigarh-Hisar route, Mr Bansi Lal visited several water-logged and flood-affected areas in Jind, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Kaithal. Earlier to the Chief Minister was scheduled come by helicopter to Hisar. However, he changed his plan so that he could personally visit the affected areas.

Mr Bansi Lal is said to have urged the Union Minister of State for Agriculture to immediately introduce the crop insurance scheme. He promised that Haryana would be the first state to implement the scheme after it was introduced by the Centre. Mr Som Pal announced the crop insurance scheme would be introduced before the next kharif season and a separate agricultural insurance corporation would be set up for the purpose.

Crops damaged in 126 villages
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

JIND: Farmers' plight in Narwana, Safidon, Julana and Jind areas is quite disturbing because of the near destruction of their crops in some villages due to recent rains. According to official sources, about 126 villages in the district have been affected by floods. The situation in 40 of them is causing anxiety. In these villages kharif crops are still under 3 feet of water.

The total estimated loss of crops during the recent floods and unseasonal rain is estimated to be about Rs 100 crore in this district alone. The floods have affected about 60,000 acre. Although, the district administration is engaged in the round-the clock exercise of dewatering the fields, yet it seems difficult to pump out water to enable the farmers to sow the rabi crop in time. About 265 water pumps have been deployed to pump out water from the flooded fields.

The farmers everywhere are panicky as paddy, cotton crops have been ruined and there is scarcity of fodder. The situation in villages of Jind district is more grim than it was during the 1995 floods.

A survey undertaken by this correspondent indicates that over a dozen villages of Narwana sub-division have been affected by the floods. These include Frankalan and Frankhurd, Ismailpur, Mangalpur, Sunderpura, Lodar, Danauda and Lon etc. Even the bajra crop in these villages has been ruined. The worst affected village is Fran where a vast expanse of water can be seen all around. The crops are not at all visible. In Sunderpura and Ismailpur villages the crop loss is reported to be over 70 per cent. In Mangalpur village the situation is worst.

Farmers here feel that the situation has become grim because the natural course of water has been closed either by roads or encroachments or drains etc.

This leads to water logging on either side of the road. This not only affects crops but also disrupts traffic. For instance the Jind-Rohtak road has been unoperational for the past fortnight due to flood waters. People have been making cuts on this road, but the outflow of water is very slow. Similar is the case with the Gohana-Jind, Hisar-Jind and Kaithal-Jind roads. Although, traffic on these roads has not been disrupted for long, but water-logged fields can be seen on either side of these roads.

This can be ascribed to faulty design of drains and roads by the Irrigation Department. The farmers would not be able to sell paddy. Hence they would find it difficult to repay loans taken from traders for sowing the kharif crop. A number of farmers had to postpone weddings of their children due to financial stringency. The administration so far has not been able to provide any lump sum financial aid to the affected farmers.

In Karnal district, the situation is grim in the villages along the Yamuna river. The farmers in Indri sub-division, especially villages of Garhibirbal, Chaura, Gharpur Tapu, Kandruli areas have been worst affected. Not only the paddy crop but also flood water has damaged the sugarcane, fodder and vegetable crops.

The superior quality of basmati in some villages of Taraori and Nilokheri like Ramana-Ramani have also been affected. The traders feel that the basmati price might shoot up as 40 per cent of the crop has been damaged.

The farmers are anxious about how they would be able to return their loans. Paddy was sown in about 1.60 lakh hectare in this district and about 40 per cent of the crop has been damaged. Although the administration estimates that the crop loss is less, but the farmers maintain that in some areas there is 50 to 80 per cent loss to paddy, potato, toria and sugarcane.

Sohanpal Rawat, a farmer of the Ladwa area, stated farmers would find it difficult to repay bank loans. It is estimated that the farmers in these areas owe over Rs 55 crore to traders. Likewise, the mini banks and the land development bank, as well as other nationalised banks have also provided loans to farmers to the tune of about Rs 140 crore in the district.

How the farmers would be able to repay this loan when their means of earning have already been decimated by unkind rain gods could be anybody's guess. The farmers are facing another piquant situation. The traders in grain markets are reluctant to advance loans for meeting their day-to-day needs. Even the traders are apprehensive to provide loans for sowing the rabi crops. This financial stringency has made farmers with small holdings tight-fisted.

Vegetables sown by farm labour along Yamuna banks has been damaged. Abdul Fazal, who used to sow vegetables, finds it difficult to provide for his family. His cauliflower crop has been ruined.

Haryana leaders mobilised
From Ravi S.Singh
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Nov 2 — Political leaders of Haryana are all set to play a role in the neighbouring states of Delhi and Rajasthan, and in Madhya Pradesh, where assembly elections are due this month-end.

The Congress, has assigned duties to the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) and party leaders from Haryana in these two states. Some of the Haryana leaders who have been assigned duties in Rajasthan are Rao Dharma Pal and Mr Anand Singh Dangi, both former ministers, and Mr Kuldip Sharma.

Some of the prominent Haryana Congress leaders who have been asked to campaign in Delhi are Dr Ram Prakash, Mr Dharmavir Gabba, Mr Lachman Dass Arora and Dr Raghuvir Singh Kadyan — all former ministers — and Prof.Virender Singh and Mr Ashok Sharma, Chairman of the HPCC Disciplinary Committee.

These Congress leaders have been asked to coordinate with the Pradesh Congress Committees of the two states, particularly on the issue of supply of campaign related material from 24, Akbar Road, the party headquarters.

Besides, senior party leaders from Haryana led by the president of the HPCC, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, will campaign for the party in Delhi and Rajasthan. These leaders include Dr Kripa Ram Puniya, Mr Sultan Singh, Mr Chiranji Lal Sharma, Mrs Kartar Devi and Mr Harpal Singh. Mr Hooda is also scheduled to take part in the campaign in Madhya Pradesh, where the Congress is fighting tooth and nail to remain in power.

The Congress had already roped in the services of its leaders from Haryana, — like Rao Inderjit Singh, Dr Puniya, Mr Ranjit Singh, Mrs Shakuntala Bhagwaria, Mr Subhash Batra, Mr Khursheed Ahmed and Capt Ajay Singh — as party observers for the selection of nominees in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. A former president of the HPCC, Mr Birender Singh is said to be playing a key role as he has been made one of the "apex" observers.

The BJP, which is making efforts to retain power in Delhi and Rajasthan, has also pressed into service some of its leaders from Haryana. A number of Cabinet ministers, like Prof Ram Bilas Sharma and Prof Ganeshi Lal and Mr Sita Ram Singla and Mr Kailash Sharma are to give a thrust to the BJP’s campaign in the two states. Professor Sharma is also tipped to visit Madhya Pradesh.

The main opposition party in Haryana, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), has raised the ante in Delhi and Rajasthan as it will be fielding candidates in both states. A former Chief Minister of Haryana and INLD leader, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has been doing intensive tours of Rajasthan and Delhi, addressing public meetings in the past month. Almost all senior leaders of the party, including Mr Dhirpal, Prof Sampat Singh and Mr Gopi Chand Gehlot have been asked to join the party’s campaign in the two states.

The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal and his Haryana Vikas Party, an ally of the BJP, plan to have high visibility during the campaigns in Rajasthan and Delhi.

Relief for small units in Haryana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 2 — The Haryana Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, has decided to introduce another category of industries in fee structure falling between the capital investment of Rs. 1 crore and Rs 3 crore under both water and air consent fee structure so as to give relief to small scale industries in the state.

The Cabinet also reduced the consent fee for pulverisers and hot mix plants operating in the state.

The consent fee under Water Act/Rules to establish (NOC) industries other than those covered under headings A-II to A-V having a capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 5,700 instead of existing Rs 8,000. Consent fee to establish (NOC) highly polluting industries like fertiliser (nitrogen/phosphate) sugar, cement, fermentation and distillery, petro-chemical, thermal, power plant, oil refinery sulphuric acid, iron and steel, pulp and paper, dye and dye intermediates, pesticides manufacturing, basic drugs and pharmaceuticals having a capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 17,700 instead of Rs. 24,000.

The consent fee for first year to operate industries other than those covered under headings B-II to B-V having a capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 10,000 instead of existing Rs 20,000. The consent fee to be charged annually for subsequent years to operate industries not covered under headings B-II to B-V having a capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 3700 instead of existing Rs 8000.

The consent fee for first year to operate highly polluting industries such as fertiliser (nitrogen/phosphate) sugar, cement, tanneries, fermentation and distillery, petro-chemical, thermal, power plant, oil refinery sulphuric acid, iron and steel, pulp and paper, dye and dye intermediates, pesticides manufacturing, basic drugs and pharmaceuticals etc. having capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 30,000 instead of existing Rs 60,000. Similarly, the consent fee to be charged annually for subsequent years for these industries having capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 11,000 instead of existing Rs 24,000.

The consent fee under the Air Act/Rules for first year to operate industries other than those covered under headings A-II to A-VIII having a capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 10,000 instead of existing Rs 20,000. Similarly, the consent fee to be charged annually for subsequent years to operate industries other than those covered under headings A-II to A-VIII having a capital investment exceeding Rs 1 crore but not exceeding Rs 3 crore would be Rs 3700 instead of existing Rs 8000.

The consent fee to establish (NOC) pulverisers with a capacity not exceeding 100 tonnes per day would be Rs 2000 whereas it would be Rs 3000 for those with a capacity exceeding 100 tonnes per day. Consent fee for first year to operate pulverisers with capacity not exceeding 100 tonnes per day would be Rs 2000 and for those with the capacity exceeding 100 tonnes per day it would be Rs 3000. The consent fee to be charged annually for subsequent years to operate pulverisers for these two categories would be Rs 2000 and Rs 3000 respectively.

The consent fee to establish (NOC) hot mix-plants of capacity not exceeding 40 tonnes per day would be Rs 5000 whereas it would be Rs 7500 for hot mix plants exceeding the capacity of 40 tonnes per day. Consent fee for first year and subsequent years to operate these plants would be Rs 5000 for the first category and Rs 7500 for the second category.

The Cabinet also gave its ex-post facto approval to the guarantee given by the government for raising of additional resources by the Haryana Financial Corporation (HFC) by issuing 55th series of bonds of the value of Rs 5 crore and also gave its approval to the guarantee to be given by the government for raising additional resources by HFC to the issue of ad-hoc bonds worth Rs 6 crore.

6 DCs transferred in reshuffle
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 2 — The Haryana Government today ordered the transfer/postings of 12 bureaucrats, including six Deputy Commissioners.

Mr Samir Mathur, Joint Secretary, Revenue and Rehabilitation Department and Chief Settlement Commissioner, Haryana, has been posted as Joint Secretary Revenue Department.

Mr Roshan Lal, Deputy Commissioner, Karnal, and Director, Haryana Rural Development Institute, Nilkoheri, becomes Managing Director, Haryana Dairy Development Corporation and Dairy Development Cooperative Federation Ltd and Joint Secretary, Rehabilitation-cum-Chief Settlement Commissioner, Haryana, in addition, vice Mr R.P. Chander and Mr Samir Mathur.

Mr RP Chander goes as Director, Primary Education, vice Mr Sanjive Kumar.

Mrs Surina Rajan, Deputy Commissioner, Yamunanagar, goes as Joint Secretary, Political and Services and Vigilance Departments vice Mr Alok Nigam.

Mr Sanjiv Kumar becomes Project Director, Haryana State Prathmik Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad.

Mr Alok Nigam, Joint Secretary to Government Political and Services and Vigilance Departments has been posted as Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra vice Mr TVSN Prasad.

Mr M Kithan, Administrator, HUDA, Panchkula, Additional Director, Urban Estate, Haryana and Additional Director, Town and Country Planning Department, replaces Mr Roshan Lal. Mr Devender Singh succeeds Mr Kithan.

Mr TVSN Prasad goes as Project Director, WRCP Chandigarh and Principal Director, Haryana Irrigation and Rural Management Institute, (HIRMI), Kurukshetra, in addition. (His Headquarters will be at Chandigarh).

Mr KS Yadav, Deputy Commissioner, Fatehabad, goes as such to Bhiwani and becomes Chairman, Haryana Board of School Education in addition vice Mr Krishan Kumar.

Mr Rajeev Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-CEO, DRDA, Yamunanagar, succeeds Mrs Surina Rajan.

Mr Krishan Kumar succeeds Mr Devender Singh.

Mr Raja Sekhar Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-CEO, DRDA, Kurukshetra goes as Deputy Commissioner, Fatehabad.

Conference on food security today
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Nov 2 — The four-day International Conference on Food Security and Crop Science, which begins here from tomorrow will mainly focus on developing strategies for ensuring food for all.

The conference is being organised by the Society for Sustainable Agriculture and Resource Management. Last year the conference was held at Braunschweing, Germany, where CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, was decided as the venue for the next conference.

Delegates from across the country and abroad have started arriving here. According to Prof RKBehal, convener of the conference, there are still millions of people across the world who suffer from malnutrition. Even in India there are so many people, who cannot afford to get two time meals.

The main focus of the conference will remain on developing methods to ensure sufficient food for the increasing population. The present world population which is about 5.8 billion will touch 8.5 billion mark in the year 2025.

The conference aims to draw the attention of the world community towards the problem of food availability. Food security is jointly determined by the availability and access to food which is closely related to agricultural production and economic growth. The conference will try to suggest methods so that the global food production and policy should receive proper attention to overcome regional food inequities and imbalances and food deficit.

The experts will have threadbare discussions on the subjects like crop improvement, conservation and management of natural resources, farming systems, crop diversification, value addition, integrated nutrient and pest management international cooperation and socio economic aspects of the food policy.

According to estimates, the food production will need to be enhanced by 50 per cent by 2025. While in the past the food production increased as a result of increased yield potential of new crops varieties using agro chemicals and modern technology, as well as increase in irrigated and cultivated the cropped areas.

However, in future, there is less likelihood of increase in the cropped area, particularly in Asian where the area is declining due to the pressures of urbanisation and industrialisation. In India there has been over three fold decline in the per capital availability of cultivable land during the past 50 years and this trend is likely to continue till the stabilisation of the population during the middle of the next century.

More than hundred papers will be presented during the conference that will focus on various aspects related to the food availability to all across the globe.

Case against "Kudrat" stars

HISAR, Nov 2 (UNI) — A petition was today admitted by a local court against popular actors Akshaya Khanna and Urmila Matondkar alleging that a song in Hindi film "Kudrat" featuring them was "obscene" and had words "amounting to abuse".

The petition, filed by the Bharatiya Yuva Janata Morcha leader, Mr Rakesh Sethi, claimed that the words used in the song "Bahan Dee Takki Ha" were used by "ruffians and goons in North India" when they abuse somebody. It also held that the song was not originally approved by the censor board but its cassettes were available in the market and shown on different TV channels.

The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mr SK Goyal, who admitted the petition also sent notices to seven others in the case. Song writer Dev Kohli, music writer Rajesh Roshan, playback singers Abhjeet and Purnima are among the respondents. Film director Raj N Sippy producers RN Sippy and Gramaphone Company of India, the marketing firm of the cassettes, were others who were sent notices to the case.

Haryana order on electoral rolls
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 2 — Electoral rolls of all the wards of the Municipal Committee, Jakhal, district Fatehabad and Municipal Committee, Loharu, Bhiwani district where seats of members have fallen vacant, will be prepared from November 2 to 17 and their draft notification will be done on November 18 on the basis of Assembly electoral rolls with reference to January 1,1999, as the qualifying date where the byelections to fill up the vacant seats will be held in January next. Copies of the draft publication of electoral rolls will be available for inspection by the general public of the area in the office of concerned Deputy Commissioner or revising authority of municipality offices.

Mr J.K. Duggal, State Election Commissioner, Haryana, today, said according to the notification issued in this regard by the State Election Commission, claims and objections could be presented by any person before the concerned revising authority appointed for the purpose between November 19 and 27 and these would be disposed of by the revising authority by November 30. Appeals against the orders of the revising authority could be filed up to December 5 before the Deputy Commissioner who would dispose them of by December 12. Electoral rolls would be finally published on December 15, he added.

Haryana postings
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 2 — The Haryana Government has posted Mr Gulab Singh Sorot, Director, Local Bodies, as Joint Secretary, Irrigation Department, relieving Mr Sarban Singh of the charge.

Mr Jyoti Arora, Officer on Special Duty, Land Use Board, has been given the additional charge of Director, Local Bodies.

Mr Sumita Misra, Joint Secretary, General Administration Department, has been given the additional charge of Director and Joint Secretary, Science and Technology Department relieving Mr Praveen Kumar of the charge.

4 cases of murder registered
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 2 — Four cases of murder were reported yesterday from villages falling under the jurisdiction of the Rai police station.

Lalita (7) was allegedly raped and killed by a person at Kundli village, 25 km from here. According to an FIR by her father, the girl had gone outside her house when she was picked up by someone who committed the crime. A case has been registered.

In another case, the police recovered two bodies with their heads chopped off from Nangal Kalan village. Both victims were identified as Sikandar (30) and Jatu (35), originally belonging to Bihar. A case has been registered.

In the third case, Surinder (28) was killed in a clash which took place between two rival groups at Nangal Kalan village. The cause of the clash was not known.

Inter-state gang busted
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Nov 2 — The police claims to have arrested members of an inter-state gang, including their leaders Jitender and Rajiv Saini.

Mr S.S. Deswal, Superintendent of Police, said here today that undertrials Jitender and Rajiv Saini of Hansi were being brought by a police party from the ACJMs court, Bhiwani, on August 20 to the Hisar jail.

The Haryana Roadways bus carrying the suspects was stopped near village Jita Kheri by eight armed persons riding a Maruti car (DL-2CG-9192) and a motor cycle (DL-4 SP-1243). Mr Deswal said the gang managed to whisk away Jitender and Rajiv. The police later arrested the suspects which include Satish, Jitender, alias Happy, Rajiv, Renu, alias Arun, Dholia, alias Jaswant, Ashok, Rajesh, Gattu, Anil, Jitender and Raju and Raj Pal.

Mr Deswal said several weapons were found and the Maruti car and motor cycle impounded. The stengun snatched away from a police personnel had also been located.

MDU students take out march
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Nov 2 — Students of Maharshi Dayanand University and the local Jat College today took out a procession in protest against the 'faulty' policies and 'misuse of funds' by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Lt-Gen (retd) O P Kaushik.

The protesters alleged that the Vice-Chancellor had been spending a big amount on the preparations for 7th convocation scheduled for November 4. They announced that they would boycott the function and wear black badges on that day as a mark of protest.

Later, the demonstrators submitted a memorandum to Mr P K Chaudhary, Commissioner, Rohtak division, as the Deputy Commissioner allegedly refused to accept it. They demanded withdrawal of hike in the university fees, a probe into various acts of the Vice-Chancellor, local bus service and a reduction in the rates of cinema tickets.

Free travel facility
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Nov 2--- The Haryana Government has decided to grant free travel facility to the freedom fighters and members of Indian National Army (INA) even outside the State in the Haryana Roadways buses, according to Haryana Transport Minister Mr Krishan Pal Gujjar.