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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Monday, October 5, 1998 |
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Poor response to plot
allotment schemes |
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 Centre asked to send team to Haryana HISAR, Oct 4 — Former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal today demanded that the Centre should send a high-level team to review the law and order situation in Haryana. |
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Jind power
system to be restructured
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Poor
response to
plot allotment schemes GURGAON, Oct 4 — Recent offers of allotment of industrial plots in Gurgaon and Faridabad have elicited a poor response from entrepreneurs and investors. Just a few years ago these areas drew enormous investor attention, with applicants asking for larger areas and industry officials urging them to make do with smaller plots. However, at the recent allotment interviews for Sector 58 in Faridabad the roles were reversed with the officials asking allottees whether they needed larger plots. Further, the number of plots to be allotted in Sector 58 of Faridabad outstripped the number of shortlisted applicants, ensuring that each one got an industrial plot without much ado. In the case of allotments for the Haryana Urban Development Authority's (HUDA) Pace City II area in Sector 37 here, even the interviews with applicants were done away with. Prospective candidates were simply called to a draw of lots for plots at the HUDA office on September 30 last after perusal of their project reports as submitted by them. One allottee from Greater
Kailash, Delhi, Mr Sandeep, told this correspondent that
the number of applicants for the Pace City II plots was
fewer than the 300 plots up for allotment. He said he
applied for a plot in December, 1997. The draw for
allotment was held at the end of September and the final
allotment was expected to take a minimum of two months.
"As a genuine entrepreneur with an immediate need
for industrial space, this is too long a time for
allotment. It will take another two years for
construction. This kind of system is only suitable for
speculators or for those who are in no hurry to start
work. The state itself is allotting these plots at a rate
of Rs 2,500 per sq metre, which is more than or equal to
the market rate for this area. This despite the fact that
we will have to struggle without electricity or sewer
connections to begin with, notwithstanding the claims of
HUDA", he said. Mr Sanjay Joon, Estate Officer, Gurgaon, asserted that a general decline in industrial activity was the reason for the low number of applicants and expressed confidence that Pace City II would be the fastest growing industrial sector because the basic infrastructure was already in place there. However, Mr Dharambir Guaba, MLA, held that the failure of the state government on all fronts was responsible for the lack of enthusiasm among industrialists and investors. Criticising the industrial policy of the HVP-BJP government, he said there was absolutely no initiative on its part to revive industry. "On the contrary, they are continually increasing power tariff without ensuring any improvement in the power supply". Mr Guaba, who is a former Minister for Local Bodies, said: "Even law and order here has taken a severe beating. Cases of theft, robbery, dacoity and even murder are increasing alarmingly. Earlier, investors and industrialists perceived Gurgaon to be far more peaceful than NOIDA in Uttar Pradesh, but today that image has been tarnished and law and order here is no better. HUDA, which was famous for the quality of its work, has today come to a level where there is no cleanliness or proper roads in any of its sectors". Criticising the "indifferent" attitude of district officials, Mr Guaba expressed dismay over the condition of roads in Gurgaon and said that repair work began only after he and his associates issued a warning to the district authorities that they would go on fast. "Under these conditions, where proper roads, power supply and sewerage are conspicuous by their absence, how can industry survive and flourish here?" Mr Sharma, an allottee of an industrial plot in Pace City II, expressed surprise that after he applied for a plot in December, 1997, there had been no intimation or confirmation from the authorities about the state of his application. He said he was unlikely to eventually purchase the plot as the formalities required to be completed were far too cumbersome. He added: "Why should I buy the plot at market rates from an authority which forces me to execute my entire project within two years of allotment/possession while they do not link this with their responsibility of making power connections, roads, sewerage and telephone connections available on time?" The Gurgaon Chamber of Commerce has been pushing for changes in the industrial policy for quite some time. The policy prohibiting the leasing out or transfer of newly built plots is seen to be a major hurdle to industrial growth by most entrepreneurs and industrialists here. They say the policy is out of tune with market realities.
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3 cholera deaths in Hisar village? HISAR, Oct 4 — Panic has gripped Dhiktana village, 25 km from here, following the death of three children of a family reportedly due to cholera. According to official sources a team of doctors led by the Chief Medical Officer, Hisar, Mr S.K. Dogra, has been rushed to the village. The doctors said an old woman of the Same family was saved due to timely help. She has been rushed to Civil Hospital, Hisar. The doctors said, it was yet to be established whether it was cholera epidemic. They had collected samples of drinking water and advised people to use boiled water and maintain cleanliness. There were apprehensions of the possible out-break of an epidemic due to the untimely rain and floods.
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Centre asked to send team to
Haryana HISAR, Oct 4 — Former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal today demanded that the Centre should send a high-level team to review the law and order situation in Haryana. Talking to reporters here, Mr Bhajan Lal referred to the recent spurt in crime in the state and pointed out that the common man was feeling insecure. The state government had failed to safeguard life. He said the situation demanded that the government be dismissed as it had lost moral authority. Mr Bhajan Lal was critical of Chief Minister Bansi Lal. He pointed out that the government had repeatedly increased the power tariff and thus put an additional burden on farmers. The former Chief Minister said the recent rain and floods had caused considerable damage to crops. It had become necessary to introduce a crop insurance scheme. He hinted at the possible entry of the Independent legislator from Barwala, Mr Relu Ram, into the Congress. Mr Relu Ram had withdrawn his support to the Bansi Lal government some months ago. Mr Bhajan Lal said that former Union Minister and President of the Haryana Gana Parishad Jai Prakash might also join the Congress. Mr Jai Prakash actively campaigned for Mr Bhajan Lal's son in the Mandi Adampur assembly byelection. He said although Mrs Sonia Gandhi was likely to visit the state in the near future, the final programme was yet to be drawn up. Referring to the assurance given by the Home Minister, Mr Mani Ram Godara, to the Guru Jambeshwar University Bachao Sangharsh Samiti about reviving the status of GJU, Mr Bhajan Lal said he (Mr Godara) should ensure this was done or resign.
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Jind power
system to be restructured JIND, Oct 4 — The Haryana Government will spend a sum of Rs 50 crore for restructuring power system in the district, besides investing Rs 10 crore on setting up power sub-stations and augmentation of the existing ones in Safidon area, near here. Addressing a gathering at Safidon today, Chief Minister Bansi Lal said Safidon sub-stations had been augmented to the capacity of 132 kv at a cost of Rs 90 lakh and a sub-station at Jind with similar a capacity had been renovated at a cost of Rs 2.30 crore. Besides, a sub-station had been constructed at Alewa with a capacity, of 33 kv. Transmission lines were laid in the district which included a line from Jind to Safidon and Assandh to Alewa at a cost of Rs 50 lakh and Rs 22 lakh, respectively. Referring to the round-the-clock power supply in the state, the Chief Minister said no concrete steps had been taken by previous governments to generate a single unit of electricity whereas the demand of electricity had been increased manifold. Highlighting steps being taken by his government to strengthen the power system, he said, 1289 mw of power would be added to the present 863 mw power up to December 1999. Mr Bansi Lal pointed out that the World Bank had appreciated the efficient power management by the Haryana Government and had cited examples to other countries to follow such measures. He said not only from Andhra Pradesh, but consultants from abroad had also visited the state to study the power reforms being undertaken by his government. The Chief Minister reiterated that there would be no hike in the power tariff. There were no plans to retrench employees of the state power board. On free power on the pattern of Punjab, he clarified that the conditions in Haryana were different to those in Punjab. Most of the agriculture land was irrigated by canal water in Punjab where the state government had to incur Rs 150 crore for supplying free power to the farmers. But in Haryana most farmers depended on tubewells for irrigation and his government had given a subsidy of Rs 700 crore to the farm sector. Mr Bansi Lal refuted the allegations of the Opposition that the state power had been privatised. He clarified that neither it had been privatised, nor the assets had been sold to anyone. He said the electricity board had been bifurcated into two companies Genco and Transco — for efficient power distribution in the state. He said the distribution would be wholly under the control of the government while global tenders would be invited. In this too, the government would have an equal partnership. The Chief Minister said a masterplan of more than Rs 400 crore was being worked out to combat recurring floods. He said a drain at a cost of Rs 111 crore would also be dug from Hisar to Ghaggar.
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Bansi Lal, Chautala
‘befooling’ people KAITHAL, Oct 4 — The president of the Haryana Gan Parishad and a former MP, Mr Jai Parkash, said here yesterday that the state Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Assembly, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, had been befooling the people of the state, who were suffering due to their various acts of omission and commission. Talking to mediapersons, he said Mr Bansi Lal had failed to got the Eradi Tribunal award and Rajiv Longowal agreement implemented. He had also failed to persuade the Punjab Government and the Centre to start the digging of the remaining portion of the SYL canal in the Punjab area as promised by him during the assembly elections. Similarly Mr Chautala had failed to take up the case of Haryana with the BJP government at the Centre to which his party had extended support. He said the Bansi Lal government had failed to maintain law and order in the state which was moving towards anarchy. He said Mr Chautala was equally responsible for the criminalisation of politics in the state. Mr Jai Parkash said large areas of Haryana were under water and the government had not taken steps to water the flooded fields. He asked the government to provide immediate relief and compensation to the affected farmers. Alleging rampant corruption in the state he said many of state ministers were amassing wealth at the cost of the state exchequer. He demanded a probe by an independent agency into these charges. He called a state-level meeting of his party workers at Jind on October 6 to decide his party's strategy in view of the latest political situation in the country.
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CM suspends patwari, headmaster JIND, Oct 4 — Mr Bansi Lal, Chief Minister of Haryana, presided over a meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee, held here yesterday. Following a complaint of the panchayat of Bania Khera village, the Chief Minister suspended Surinder Singh, headmaster of a government school, for allegedly misusing funds of the school. Mr Bansi Lal also suspended Satbir Singh, a patwari, for allegedly demanding bribe from Surinder Kumar of Baroli village for attesting scholarship forms. He directed officers of the Animal Husbandry Department to vaccinate animals at Dighana and Lijwana Khurd villages of this district. He also directed the District Food and Supplies Controller to make kerosene available on ration cards in the rural areas. On a complaint of Kishani Devi and Savitri Devi of Padana village, the Chief Minister ordered that the District Revenue Officer, Ambala, be relieved of his additional charge as Land Acquisition Officer. The women had complained that the Land Acquisition Officer had not paid the full amount of compensation for their acquired land.
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Campaign against anti-social
elements SONEPAT, Oct 4 — A weeklong special campaign launched by the police against anti-social elements has yielded good results in the district. The Superintendent of Police, Mr K. Selvraj, told mediapersons here today that the police had arrested all culprits allegedly involved in the cases of burglary and thefts in the city. Some cash and stolen articles were recovered. He also claimed that the police had solved two cases of automobile theft and recovered vehicles from the arrested persons. Two pistols, two cartridges and one knife were recovered. Cases were also registered under the Excise Act against five persons and 53 bottles of IMFL and 3 liquor pouches seized. The SP further stated that the police had arrested as many as 26 persons on charges of apprehension of breach of peace. Referring to the overcrowding of private vehicles, he said directions to all SHOs in the district had been given to take action against those found guilty. Mr Selvraj also stated that instructions had been issued to keep a watch on the activities of anti-social elements during Diwali.
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Arya Samaj's drive against social evils SIRSA, Oct 4 — Swami Indervesh, a former MP and senior leader of the Arya Samaj said here yesterday that to check increasing social evils in society, a state-level campaign would be launched by the Haryana Arya Pratinidhi Sabha and more than 100 units of the Arya Samaj would be constituted in the rural areas of state in the next three years. Talking to mediapersons he
said the Arya Samaj would organise a two-day
international-level "samaj badlo sammelan." It
would be held at Ram Lila ground in New Delhi on December
27. He called upon the people to cooperate with the Arya
Samaj and follow the teachings of Swami Dayanand
Sarasvati for the upliftment of the society. Plea for special girdawri SONEPAT, Oct 4 — Mr Dharampal Singh Malik, former President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, today urged the state government to order a special girdawri in rain-affected villages to assess the loss to kharif crops. After touring the villages, Mr Malik told mediapersons that the kharif crops, including paddy, bajra and cotton, had been destroyed in several villages. The loss to the crops, he said, would run into crores of rupees and the farmers had no money to purchase seeds for sowing rabi crops. He demanded a compensation of Rs 15,000 per acre for the farmers and jobs for landless labourers. He also urged the state government to postpone the recovery of loans from the farmers. The Congress leader also urged the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal to immediately implement the crop insurance scheme after getting it approved from the Centre. Earlier Mr Malik, accompanied by former minister Hukam Singh Dahiya and other Congress leaders, toured at least 50 villages of the area.
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Six names under consideration HISAR, Oct 4 — With the Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambeshwar University (GJU) here completing his term on October 20, hectic lobbying has already started for the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor. The present Vice-Chancellor, Prof K.L. Johar, "feels satisfied" at having earned a name for the university in the country's academic circles in a brief period of three years. Although it is premature to guess who will be the new Vice-Chancellor, six names are said to be under consideration. They are Prof K.K. Agarwal, Pro Vice-Chancellor of GJU, Prof Kuldeep Singh Dhindsa, a well-known scientist from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Prof Rakesh Khurana from IGNOU, Prof L.N. Dahiya, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Prof R.P. Hooda and Brigadier Rana (retd). Professor Dahiya did not exhibit keen interest for the vice-chancellorship. He told TNS he wanted to complete his tenure as Pro Vice-Chancellor and did not want to disturb his family life.
2 get life term for murder GURGAON, Oct 4 — The Additional Sessions Judge, Dr Bharat Bhushan Parsoon, has sentenced two brothers, Pohap Singh and Balbir Singh of Bhoodka village to life imprisonment for killing Phool Singh of the same village following a petty squabble. Four more members of their
family — Jagat Singh, Jaipal, Dharambir and Rajendra
— were sentenced to three years' rigorous
imprisonment. Rajesh, son of Balbir, was also convicted
by the court but was released on probation for a year
after furnishing a bond of Rs 10,000. |
Work on bridge to start in
November FARIDABAD, Oct 4 — The much-delayed construction of the Rs 14-crore four-lane bridge over the railway lines at Bata Chowk here is slated to start in the first week of November. Official sources said here yesterday that all formalities had been completed and the dispute with the railways had been amicably settled. The contract for the construction of the bridge had been awarded to a Jaipur-based firm. The work is expected to be completed within two years. According to the contract, the firm will charge "toll tax" from vehicles passing on the bridge for seven years to realise the cost and interest of its expenditure before transferring the bridge to the state government.
Hooda seeks relief for farmers ROHTAK, Oct 4 — The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Mr Bhupender Singh Hooda, has sought a compensation of Rs 5,000 per acre to farmers whose crops have been damaged by rain and stormy winds. A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting of party workers of Rohtak, Sonepat and Jhajjar districts on Friday. Mr Hooda demanded the draining of water at a war footing so that the farmers would be able to sow the rabi crop in time. He also sought the remission of electricity bills and suspension of the reimbursement of various government loans from the farmers. Meanwhile, Mr Kulbir Singh
Malik, a former minister and Congress leader, alleged
that pumps installed for draining the excess water at
Julana were not sufficient. Congress meeting deferred ROHTAK, Oct 4 — A meeting scheduled to be held at Hisar on October 11 by the teachers' cell of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has been deferred. Stating this here today, Mr Sultan Singh Atri, Conveneor of the cell, said the decision had been taken in view of the proposed visit of AICC president Sonia Gandhi on that day.
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