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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Friday, November 13, 1998 |
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Tax exemption for Lahore-Delhi bus CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — The Haryana Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, decided to exempt from the payment of passenger tax the passengers who would travel by bus on the Lahore-Delhi-Lahore route. The decision has been taken as a goodwill gesture of the State Government. Computerised attendance system CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — A computerised attendance recording system has been installed at the Haryana Civil Secretariat and the new Secretariat complex here to record the time of entry and exit of the staff working in these two complexes. |
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 Support price for potatoes likely CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — In response to pressures from various State Governments, including those of Haryana and Punjab, the Government of India may announce support price for potatoes and also allow 50 per cent subsidy on pesticides and fungicides for potato crops. |
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Misery
flows over incomplete bridge |
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Tax exemption for Lahore-Delhi
bus CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — The Haryana Cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, decided to exempt from the payment of passenger tax the passengers who would travel by bus on the Lahore-Delhi-Lahore route. The decision has been taken as a goodwill gesture of the State Government. The bus will cover a distance of 182 km in Haryana single side journey and it will be run by the Delhi Transport Corporation. It will make three trips in a week and promote tourist traffic between the two countries. The state exchequer will bear an additional burden of over Rs 9 lakh per annum as a result of this exemption. The Cabinet also approved small and micro-hydel power projects in the private sector so as to promote generation of power from non-conventional sources in the state. The Cabinet approved seven sites for the setting up of these projects — Jaidhary at head, Yamunanagar (100 KW), Delhi sub-branch head, offtaking Delhi branch tail, Delhi (250 KW), and Sirsa branch, village Matrawa-Kheri, Kaithal (900 KW), Sirsa branch, Fatehpur, Naina village, Kaithal (800 KW), Hansi Branch, near Anta Rest House, Jind (930 KW), Habri sub-branch, Budhera village, Kaithal (400 KW) and Habri sub-branch, Basthali village, Karnal (240 KW). The micro-hydel plants on build, own and operate basis at the first two sites would be set up by Utility Power Tech Limited, New Delhi, at the next three sites by Bhoruka Power Corporation Limited, Bangalore and at the remaining two sites by Triveni Engineering and Industries, New Delhi. The department had invited proposals through an advertisement for setting up micro-hydel plants at these sites in the Haryana canal system in April 1998. Seven companies had shown interest in setting up power projects at these sites. Their proposals were evaluated by a Technical Appraisal Committee (TAC). The report of the TAC, headed by a Chief Engineer of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam was considered by a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary. After the Cabinet's approval, the Haryana State Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) will now enter into an MoU with these companies for preparation of detailed project report and setting up the projects. The power produced from these micro-hydel plants will be injected into the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) grid.
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Support price for potatoes likely CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — In response to pressures from various State Governments, including those of Haryana and Punjab, the Government of India may announce support price for potatoes and also allow 50 per cent subsidy on pesticides and fungicides for potato crops. The Centre may as a long-term measure, also assist the State Governments in the construction of cold stores specially for the storage of potatoes. Haryana's present storage capacity of 2.35 lakh tonnes of potatoes needs to be augmented immediately. The phenomenon of rising potato prices does not appear to be entirely based on ground realities. A major part has been played by hoarders and traders in manipulating the rise in prices by controlling potato releases from cold stores by taking advantage of the small shortfall in the availability of potatoes for market sales. The consumers have certainly been unfairly exploited. While the farmers who suffered losses due to rains during sowing made up partly by selling their produce at higher prices, they are likely to be compensated further through other measures. In Haryana potato sowing was seriously affected by the mid-October heavy rains. In fact by October 15, sowing of potato crop was completed in about 3000 hectares out of a total area of 15,000 hectares which is generally devoted to potato crop. The unseasonal rains of October 15, 16 and 17 completely damaged the sowing as a result of which nearly 9,000 tonnes of potato seed used for sowing was lost. This resulted in a loss of about Rs 7.2 crore in the State, besides delaying the sowing of potatoes by 10 days. The overall loss was also in terms of labour and pesticides. The Haryana Government has already brought this loss to the notice of the Government of India and has demanded adequate compensations for the losses suffered. A meeting of the Directors of Horticulture from various States held in Delhi has also taken notice of the situation. Unfortunately, the potato crop in Haryana was affected last year by late blight which had brought down the potato production by nearly 1 lakh tonnes last year. The State is likely to meet its target of producing 2.5 lakh tonnes of potatoes — mainly grown in Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panipat and Yamunanagar areas in the state. In small quantities, potatoes are grown almost all over the state. As the state's own consumptions is less than 1 lakh tonnes, the rest of it is exported either to other states or sold to multinationals for producing potato products, including chips. Haryana has urged the Government of India to make appropriate arrangements for the supply of good quality seed-potato. A significant portion of the December-January crops of potatoes may also be consumed as seeds. Nearly three tonnes of seed-potato are required for cultivation of the crop over one hectare which will yield between 18 and 20 tonnes of potatoes. With all potato stocks to be released from cold stores and fresh crops of potatoes from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana coming to the market the situation is bound to ease further. The pahari potatoes sold at somewhat higher prices because of their long shelf life and better taste have come to the market in sufficient quantities. With no quality seed-potato and even onion seed stocks available with the Government of India, the growers may be forced to pay higher prices for the same in the private sector. While onion seeds are available in the private sector at prices between Rs 400 and Rs 500 per kg, potatoes both for consumption as well as for seeds are being sold at nearly Rs 1,000 per quintal. There will be no justification for any further rise in the potato prices, say experts.
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Computerised attendance system CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — A computerised attendance recording system has been installed at the Haryana Civil Secretariat and the new Secretariat complex here to record the time of entry and exit of the staff working in these two complexes. The Chief Secretary has in a communication addressed to all Financial Commissioners, Administration Secretaries, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Deputy Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, all Joint Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries and Under Secretaries, Senior Secretaries, Secretaries and Private Secretaries of Ministers, all Superintendents and Deputy Superintendents and branch in-charges of these complexes, directed them to bring it to the notice of their concerned staff to get themselves photographed for preparing identity cards for this recording system at the Haryana Civil Secretariat from November 16 to 18 and at the New Secretariat on November 19 and 20 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The officers and employees of all those departments which are situated in these two Secretariat complexes would also be covered under this computerised attendance recording system.
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Misery flows over incomplete
bridge KAITHAL, Nov 12 — The delay in the construction of a bridge over the Pundri drain near Kharak Pandov village on the Kaithal-Narwana road has caused resentment among the residents of nearby villages. The villagers allege that the delay by the construction wing of the Irrigation Department has not only caused loss worth lakhs of rupees to the exchequer but also added to the miseries of the farmers of this area. According to the original schedule, the bridge was to be completed by April, 1998 but the contractors' firm entrusted with the job left the work inbetween after allegedly receiving lakhs of rupees from the Construction Division, Kaithal. Due to non-completion of this bridge the water in the drain continues to pass through the cemented pipes which obstructs the flow of water in the drain and causing overflow at many points. The situation became grave during the rain last month when sullage of the overflowing drain started spreading in dozens of villages. Department officials have confirmed the payment of Rs 13 lakh against the work done by the executing agency. However, the Deputy Commissioner of Kaithal is unhappy with the progress and has reportedly ordered the institution of an inquiry into the matter by the Additional Deputy Commissioner. The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and the Kalayat MLA, Mr Ram Bhaj, too are in the know of the situation and have expressed their reservations over the project. According to latest information, the department is planning to construct another drain which will free the area from water logging and excessive accumulation of water, even as the villagers continue to suffer.
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Levy rice delivered to FCI CHANDIGARH, Nov 12 — Nothwithstanding the ongoing controversy over stringent specifications of levy rice, the Food Corporation of India has started receiving consignments of levy rice in Haryana. The levy rice has been delivered to the FCI by certain millers of Sirsa district and one miller of Kurukshetra district. The millers of Punjab and Haryana are demanding that the Union Food Ministry should relax specifications of levy rice in view of the damage caused to the paddy by unseasonal rains. The Kurukshetra miller, Mr Jai Bhagwan Singla, who is among the first millers to deliver levy rice to the FCI this year, told TNS on the phone that he delivered levy rice to the FCI to break the stranglehold of exporters over the rice market, though he had to incur a loss of about Rs 100 per quintal in the process. Mr Singla, who reiterated the demand for immediate relaxation in the specifications, said he had to segregate 40,000 paddy bags in his stocks to get about 2700 bags of paddy of specified quality. Still the milled rice had 35 per cent to 40 per cent broken contents which were brought down to 22 per cent by sifting. He said all this process cost him about Rs 100 per quintal. The miller said the exporters were also paying about Rs 735 per quintal (after all deductions and expenses). The rice of the FCI specifications also cost them almost the same. He said if the FCI did not relax the specifications the rice industry in Punjab and Haryana would be ruined.
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Minister fails to file documents GURGAON, Nov 12 — The case against the Cooperation Minister Haryana, Rao Narbir Singh, and others in the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge, Dr Bharat Bhushan Parsoon, took a new turn today as they did not file the relevant documents along with their joint revision petition against an order for the registration of a criminal case against them passed by a lower court. Dr Parsoon fixed November 17 as the next date of hearing. The case pertains to a dispute over the ownership of land in Badshahpur village. Rao Narbir Singh and his family maintained that they owned the land as they had bought it from the deceased father of the complainant. However, the complainant took the stand that the ownership was effected by fraudulent means and tampering with the revenue records. The matter went to court where the complainant alleged that the minister and his men attacked him and his family members with weapons and damaged the crop.
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Case against 13 for damaging
transformer ROHTAK, Nov 12 — The police has registered a case against 15 residents of Kiloi village in the district on a charge of damaging a transformer of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam in the village. According to police sources, the accused — Ramphal, Satish, Suresh, Chand Singh, Mahender, Rajvir, Chander Singh, Bhim Singh, Prem Singh, Pyare Lal, Azad, Umed and Azad Singh — allegedly damaged the transformer of the Nigam by putting extra load on it by illegally connecting it on drawing extra power from it. The case was registered on the complaint of the S.D.O., Bhalaut sub-division of the Nigam, under the prevention of damage to Public Property Act 1954. However, no arrests have been made so far. The power consumers in several villages of the district are locked in confrontation with the authorities over the issue of power supply. The villagers allege that the power supply to their villages is poor and the damaged or burnt transformers are not being repaired by the authorities despite several appeals and reminders. On the other hand, the state government and the power authorities have expressed their inability to supply free power. They claim that payment of a large amount of the power bills are pending and the majority of the villagers are not clearing their dues despite several chances provided by the Nigam. Demonstrations and dharnas have been held here by the residents of Kiloi and Meham assembly segments recently.
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5000-line exchange at Sonepat SONEPAT, Nov 12 — Mr N.K. Gupta, General Manager (Development) of the Haryana circle of the Department of Telecommunications, inaugurated a 5000-line XL type exchange here today. This is the first exchange of its kind in Haryana which has been installed and commissioned at a cost of Rs 2.68 crore. Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Gupta said this modern exchange could be expanded up to 40,000 lines with supporting CCS-7 signalling and ISPN facility and its speed would be eight times faster than the existing exchanges. He disclosed that the existing exchange at Sonepat had been linked with the new exchange to ensure better telephone services. The department, he said, would provide 5,500 new lines during the current financial year and the new connections to all applicants on the waiting list would be released by the end of the current financial year.
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Crop damage assessed FATEHABAD, Nov 12 — The Financial Commissioner (Home and Revenue), Mr K.G. Verma, today visited the waterlogged Gorakhpur village to assess the drop damage and review the dewatering operations being carried out by the administration. He was accompanied by the Joint Secretary (Revenue), Mr Samir Mathur, Deputy Commissioner, Mr V. Raja Shekhar, the SP, Mr Rajbir Deswal and senior official of the state Irrigation Department, Public Health Department, the Health Department, the PWD (B&R), Haryana Vidyut Parsaran Nigam and other departments. Mr Verma listened to the grievances of people and took stock of the dewatering operations. The villagers complained about the shortage of DAP fertilizers. The Financial Commissioner assured them that the administration would not allow any shortage of DAP. Mr Verma also visited Mohamadpur Rohi, another waterlogged village. Earlier, addressing the officials of various government departments, Mr Verma asked them to make sure that the villagers were able to sow their rabi crop in time. He assured that funds would not come in the way of their efforts.
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10 years' RI for smuggling drugs HISAR, Nov 12 — The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr A.K. Raghav, yesterday sentenced Jagdish, a resident of Nadori village, to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment for smuggling poppy husk. He was also fined Rs 1
lakh. Jagdish and two others, Kanwar Singh and Prakash
were nabbed by the police on March 10, 1995 while
carrying 240 kg of poppy husk. A case under the NDPS Act
was registered against them at Bhuna police station.
ET staff seek security FARIDABAD, Nov 12 — Members of the Excise and Taxation Gazetted Officers Association today expressed concern about the murder of an officer, Mr Lakshman Ram, here on Sunday. In a statement here, they said the killing had exposed the danger faced by the staff on duty. They demanded that the staff on patrol duty should be provided arms and a cellular phone. The association demanded that the Excise and Taxation complex here should be named after Mr Laxman Ram. It also demanded that the driver of the jeep in which the officer was travelling on the day of his murder should be rewarded suitably for his role in saving the life of other officers.
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Demonstration by INLD activists HISAR, Nov 12 — Hundreds of activists of the Indian National Lok Dal today blocked the Bhiwani-Jind road and held a demonstration in Bass village of the district, in protest against the alleged delay in dewatering of the field and indifferent attitude of the Haryana Government towards farmers’ problems due to unseasonal rain. Mr Puran Singh Dabra, district president of the party led it. The activists later
submitted a memorandum to the SDM, Hansi, demanding
immediate steps to drain out water which is still
standing in about 70 villages of the district.
Protest by RJD HISAR, Nov 12 — The Rashtriya Janata Dal today held a demonstration in front of the mini secretariat here in protest against corruption, lawlessness, police excesses, soaring price of vegetables, edible oils, spices and other essential commodities. The district level demonstration started from Madhuban Park and converted into a rally at the mini secretariat. The rally was addressed by several party leaders, including Mr Balraj Singh, state general secretary, district president, Mr Virender Bagoria, and district senior vice-president, Dr Subhash Vats. Mr Balraj Singh condemned the BJP-led government for exploitation of the people at the hands of black marketeers and hoarders. A memorandum was also presented to the district administration.
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