Scenario to change after poll: Chautala
ROHTAK, Nov 9 — The Indian National Lok Dal chief, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, said here today that the political scenario at the Centre and in the state would change after the elections in Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram.

2 new drains to check
water-logging
FATEHABAD, Nov 9 — The Haryana Home Minister, Mr Mani Ram Godara, said today that the state government had prepared a master plan to combat the problem of water-logging in the state, under which two drains would be constructed at a cost of Rs 1500 crore.

Scenario to change after poll: Chautala
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Nov 9 — The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, said here today that the political scenario at the Centre and in the state would change after the elections in Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram.

He had told Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that the going for his government would not be comfortable if the BJP lost in Rajasthan and Delhi in the November 25 elections. The outcome of these elections would have far reaching political implications both at the Centre and in Haryana.

Mr Chautala told newsmen that the INLD would contest three seats in Delhi and seven seats in Rajasthan in alliance with the BJP. These Assembly segments are Najafgarh, Bawana and Mahipalpur in Delhi and Sangria, Raisingh Nagar, Mandawa, Taranagar, Sardarshahr, Khandela and Nardwai in Rajasthan.

The INLD and the BJP would have "friendly" contest in Agar-Kama, Tijara and Lakshmangarh in Rajasthan. Interestingly the INLD, has not fielded any candidate from the Nohar Assembly segment which is represented in the present House by Ajay, elder son of Mr Chautala. The "INLD candidate" in Nohar was contesting on the BJP symbol.

The INLD supremo said that the spurt in the prices of essential commodities and vegetables would be one of the major issues in the elections. He blamed the Congress for the unprecedented rise in prices as the party still controlled three major cooperative bodies, IFFCO, Kribhco and Nafed which monitor the prices of the agricultural products and the fertilisers.

Earlier the INLD state executive, MLAs MPs, district presidents and functionaries of its various cells held a meeting here today and demanded compensation at the rate of Rs 10,000 per acre to the farmers who had suffered loss because of the unseasonal rain.

The meeting through a resolution said that crops worth over Rs 2000 crore had been damaged in recent rains. The party demanded postponement of agricultural loans for two years, waiving of interest on the loan amount and remittance of electricity charges. The tuition fee of the students from the affected villages should be remitted.

The agricultural labourers and daily wage earners of the adversely affected should also be paid compensation at the rate of Rs 10,000 per family.

The meeting passed another resolution asking the government to direct its agencies to purchase paddy at the minimum support price.

The INLD criticised the government for the delay in announcing the purchase price for sugarcane although the neighbouring states have done so many weeks ago. The party demanded a minimum of Rs 110 per quintal for the ensuing season.

It alleged that the farmers were facing an acute shortage of DAP fertiliser necessary for sowing the rabi crop. The farmers were forced to purchase the fertiliser at exorbitant rates.

Mr Chautala said that a 51-member committee headed by former Chief Minister Hukam Singh has been constituted to actively participate in the tercentenary celebrations of the Khalsa Panth. Similar committees would be set up at district headquarters as well.

2 new drains to check water-logging
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Nov 9 — The Haryana Home Minister, Mr Mani Ram Godara, said today that the state government had prepared a master plan to combat the problem of water-logging in the state, under which two drains would be constructed at a cost of Rs 1500 crore.

Mr Godara was speaking at a rally in Gorakhpur village in this district today. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr V. Raja Shekhar, and the SP Mr Rajbir Deswal, were also present. Mr Godara, who had come here to inaugurate a new wing of the village school, stressed on the measures taken by the government to eradicate the problem of water-logging.

Gorakhpur, it may be recalled, is one of the worst affected villages of the state. The Chief Secretary Haryana, Mr R.S. Verma, was to visit the village last week, but this visit was cancelled at the last minute.

The Home Minister said the problem of water-logging would be permanently eradicated after the completion of these drains. The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, had made a brief survey of the water-logged areas and had issued orders for the speedy dewatering of the fields.

Lauding the efforts of the administration in this direction, Mr Godara called upon the villagers to cooperate with the administration. He announced that the entire water standing on the fields would be drained out within the next 15 days and the villagers would able to sow their rabi crops in time. He also assured the villagers that the government would construct a ring bundh around the village so that the flood water does not enter the village 'abadis' in future.

He announced that the capacity of the 'Unchu' drain that drained out water from the village would be increased from 5 cusecs to 15 cusecs and power connection to the drain would be provided within three days. He also announced that the village streets would be bricklined under the HRDF scheme.

Torchlight march by krishak samaj
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Nov 9 — Activists of the Haryana Krishak Samaj (HKS) today took out a torchlight procession to highlight the sorry plight of farmers in the wake of unprecedented floods and owing to the problem of water-logging.

The processionists were led by the HKS chairman, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala. The procession started from the local Nagori Gate and after passing through various localities culminated at the mini secretariat.

The activists also submitted a memorandum listing various demands for providing relief to farmers. The activists shouted slogans against the government for its alleged failure to provide relief to the farmers.

Later, addressing a press conference, Mr Surjewala criticised the Bansi Lal government for being a "non-performing government". The government had particularly failed to come to the rescue of the farmers who were badly hit by the recent floods, he alleged.

He put forth a five-point charter of demands for helping the affected farmers. He sought a two year moratorium on the recovery of all loans from farmers and exemption from payment of interest on these.

The farmers must be provided seeds and fertilisers free of cost so that they could go ahead with rabi cultivation.

For the landless labourers, Mr Surjewala sought avenues of employment. He suggested that these labourers could be provided employment by starting work on drains and repair of roads.

Besides, the job of draining out flood water must be entrusted direct to the farmers.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner, Hisar Division, Mr Dharamveer, has said that 80 per cent of the area under flood water would be cleared by mid-November, and the remaining by the month-end. He pointed out that a special girdawri had already been ordered for assessing the losses due to the floods.

Ex-PM's land deals to be probed
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Nov 9 — The Haryana Government will collect details of the land provided to former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar for different purposes. This was stated by Panchayat Minister Kanwal Singh during a press conference at the local PWD rest house here today.

He said that demarcation would be done for 33 acres and 18 acres of land provided to Mr Chandra Shekhar in Bhondsi village earlier for a hospital and other public purposes. He said it would also be ensured that the purpose for which land was given was fulfilled.

Mr Singh asserted that no one would be spared in case of encroachments on government land. He said a number of cases had come to his notice regarding encroachments on panchayat land worth crores of rupees by politicians.

Drawing attention of the minister to the statement of the former Prime Minister that no land has been encroached upon and the land was open for afforestation, the minister said the Block Development Officer concerned had filed a report that a big chunk of panchayat land had been encroached upon by the former Prime Minister.

He said no panchayat was allowed to donate land to any organisation or person without the prior permission of the state government.

He ruled out any politics behind the move.

Meham farmers hold protest
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Nov 9 — Hundreds of residents of Meham subdivision staged a dharna and demonstration in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner in protest against the alleged delay in dewatering of fields and 'short supply of power' in the region. They submitted a memorandum to the authorities and threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands were not met soon.

The agitating farmers, belonging mostly to Madina, Kharkara Bharan, Girawar and Bahuakbarpur village, came in their tractor-trailer, leading to traffic chaos on the main roads. They assembled in front of the mini secretariat here and raised slogans against the 'delay' in dewatering operations.

They claimed that hundreds of hectares in the region was under water and the administration had 'failed' to install adequate number of pumps in the affected areas. Moreover, they said, there was acute shortage of power supply in the rural areas and farmers who wanted to drain excess water by installing their own pumps were finding it difficult to do so.

A similar demonstration was held by the residents of Kiloi assembly segment here on November 3, when the agitating farmers had threatened to disrupt the power supply to urban areas if the damaged transformers in the region were not repaired or replaced.

Sonepat roads in bad shape
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 9 — The fast deteriorating infrastructure and ever increasing number of vehicles often results in traffic jams in this industrial city.

On the one hand many roads in the city have been lying in bad shape for years and on the other, the number of vehicles has roughly doubled in the past five years. Further, encroachments, violation of traffic rules and absence of traffic marks have aggravated the problem.

Poor condition of the roads has been a major concern and falling standards have exposed the working of the Sonepat Municipal Council, the PWD (B & R), the market committee and also the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

Recently, the Haryana Labour and Employment Minister, Mr Ramesh Chander Kaushik, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Printing and Stationery, Mrs Krishna Gahalawat, and the Minister of State, Mr Jagbir Singh Malik, received a volley of complaints, even from their own partymen, about poor road conditions.

Similarly, Mr Dev Raj Diwan, an independent MLA of Sonepat, raised voice about the poor condition of the roads but the situation did not improve. Only patch work has been done and that too on the roads frequently used by VIPs.

Continuous waterlogging in rainy season has further deteriorated road conditions. Resource crunch has been a major excuse as grants for repairs are not provided to the Sonepat Municipal Council. Most of its earning is spent in the disbursement of salaries to the employees.

ETO's murder points to nexus
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Nov 9 — The murder of Lakshman Ram Chowdhury, Excise and Taxation Officer, (ETO), here on November 1, indicates a nexus between transporters, traders and tax officials.

Brij Gopal Gupta, a transporter, had allegedly shot dead Chowdhury after heated arguments following interception of his four trucks on suspicion of tax evasion. Gupta alleged after his arrest that the tax officials were demanding money and he had paid 'suvidha shulk' to regain possession of his trucks.

This charge has been denied by the senior officials of the department. They claim that it was a premeditated murder as Gupta and his associates were carrying weapons at the time of the incident.

Traders and industrialists want the government to order a high-level inquiry into the circumstances leading to the murder of Chowdhury and to plug the loopholes in the working of the Excise Department.

Meanwhile, a meeting of Excise and Taxation officials from all over Haryana yesterday condemned the murder. The officials also demanded police protection to the staff engaged in checking trucks for tax evasion.

5 dead, 6 hurt in accidents
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Nov 9 — Five persons, including a woman, died and six others were injured in different accidents during the past 24 hours here.

A woman died and six others were injured when a tanker collided with a bus near Tigaon (Ballabgarh).

In the second case 22-year-old Pankaj died when he fell from the roof of his house in Anangpur village.

In the third case, Gian Singh of Harpali village allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope.

In the fourth case, a 23-year-old Nirmal of Sector 4 died after consuming some poisonous material. An unidentified body of a person was found near the Excise and Taxation office.

The police has registered all cases.

Foul play suspected in youth's death
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 9 — Mystery surrounds the death of a 25-year-old youth Dinesh, a resident of Kalan Mohalla, whose mutilated body was recovered by the railway police from the railway track in front of the Idgah, and sent for postmortem examination yesterday.

The parents of the deceased suspect foul play as the victim was carrying a huge sum of money with him after he closed his shop around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday. It is alleged that the victim was reportedly lured away by unknown persons on the pretext of a meeting.

In order to hide the identity of the deceased, the alleged killers chopped off one of his legs and defaced his body. They reportedly threw his body on the railway track to make it appear like a rail accident or a suicide.

Hindu College body restrained
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Nov 9 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Mr Virender Singh has restrained the governing body of Hindu College, Sonepat, MDU, Rohtak, and Director, Higher Education, Haryana, from approving the selection of Ms Usha Sharma as Principal of Hindu Girls College, Sonepat.

The Judge gave this direction on the appeal filed by Ms Lajja Goel, a lecturer of the same college, who contended that the appointment of Ms Sharma was invalid as her candidature could not be considered by the selection committee for want of a valid application.

The Judge fixed December 16 as the next date of hearing.