Sanction sought to prosecute CM
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 13 — A former Commissioner, Vigilance, and Secretary, Industries, Haryana, Mr R.S. Malik, IAS (Retd), has sought sanction from the Governor, Mr Mahabir Prasad, to prosecute the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal; his son-in-law, Mr R.S. Chahar, the Additional Advocate-General, Haryana; and 12 MLAs under Section 13D of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

In a letter written to the Governor, Mr Malik has alleged that these persons had abused their official position for giving and seeking undeserved pecuniary advantages for promoting their personal interest at the cost of the public exchequer.

Copies of the letter, which was written yesterday, were released to the press here today.

Mr Malik stated in his letter that India today figured among the 10 most corrupt countries of the world because of sinister nexus among a large section of the politicians, bureaucrats and criminals who constituted the official mafia in most of the states to exploit illiterate people and educated entrepreneurs. However, the citizens dared not challenged their criminal misconduct in any law court for fear of reprisal.

Mr Malik alleged that Mr Bansi Lal had appointed 12 MLAs as Chairman of Government-controlled boards, corporations and banks without any consideration of academic background or relevant experience required for these jobs to which no MLA could claim any right or preferential treatment under any law.

Alleging that these appointments were made in violation of the relevant constitutional provisions and norms which required an MLA to exercise necessary check on government policies and their implementation, Mr Malik said these constitutional functions could not be performed by an MLA honestly if he became an integral part of a public sector undertaking and participated in taking important administrative and financial decisions.

It may be recalled that a writ petition filed by Mr Malik as PIL is pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the same subject. The petition was admitted in March last.

Mr Malik alleged that appointment of MLAs as Chairman of various boards and corporations clearly constituted a corrupt practice of the same type for which a former Prime Minister and certain other politicians were facing trial in the JMM case.

He also alleged that Mr Bansi Lal and Mr Chahar had abused their official position to collect about Rs 70 lakh as legal fee in the past two years from the State Government offices and public sector undertakings.

"WB threatens to cancel credit"
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 13 — Mr Sampat Singh, a former Irrigation and Power Minister of Haryana today said that the World Bank had threatened to "cancel part of the credit or even suspend the credit" extended by it to the Haryana Government for the prestigious Rs. 1858-crore Haryana water resources consolidation Project. The World Bank had agreed to reimburse Rs. 975 crore. This project was signed on April 6,1994 and was made effective from June 24,1994; and is to be completed by June 30,2000.

He said the project aimed at modernisation of the existing canals and water courses, rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage system, construction of the Hathnikund barrage, improvisation of operation and maintenance of canals/drainages, research and designs and institutional strengthening. The project when completed would solve the problems of water- logging, shortage of irrigation water and lack of drainage in Haryana.

He said the Director of the World Bank for India, Mr Edwin. R. Lim, had in a letter to the Chief Secretary of Haryana pointed out that "the situation surrounding this project is very critical. In the light of the findings of the recent mission, I am now seriously concerned about the widening gap between achievements and targets agreed with the MTR (mid-term review) in November last. Ineffective project management at the senior level in the Haryana Irrigation Department, as well as in the Government of Haryana had prevailed and is the root cause for the present unsatisfactory situation."

A similar dismal situation exists with respect to key management processes like the preparation of procurement schedules and the coordination of investigation, design and construction programme.

In case of rehabilitation of the canal systems, the analysis of the progress report showed that the progress was inversely proportional to the size of the canal. The progress on main canal, branches, distributaries and structures continued to be poor.

He said as in the case of rehabilitation, overall progress on modernisation of main and branch canals was very poor. Progress about lining of the canals was less than 2 per cent and that of structures about 12 per cent. Progress on distributaries was also below target and was only about 18 per cent. The progress on lining of water courses had suddenly dropped during the year 1997-98 and the achievement was only 2 per cent of the target.

Despite the importance of modernising the three major structures which include Pathrala, Budhera Complex and Ottu headworks identified for replacement at the time appraisal, even the designs of the new structures to be built at the sites had not been completed. Due to inordinate delay in investigations and designs, there was risk of these major structures not getting completed by the credit closing date.

Mr Sampat Singh felt concerned that the situation was bound to have an adverse impact not only on the project implementation but also on the achievement of development objectives of the project.

He said the Chief Minister had lost all control over the bureaucracy which in turn was reluctant to implement anything because of his autocratic tendencies. By neglecting this project, Mr Bansi Lal had ensured that some parts of Haryana would become marshland and others would be devoid of irrigation within the next few years, he added.

Sonia "resorting to" false propaganda
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 13 — The Haryana PWD (B&R) Minister, Mr Karan Singh Dalal, and Minister of State for Public Relations, Mr Attar Singh Saini, today described as a political gimmick the visit of Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi to some villages of Narwana in Jind district where she met some families of those farmers who had allegedly committed suicide due to their indebtedness.

The ministers also reacted sharply to the statement made by Mrs Sonia Gandhi yesterday at Rohtak that the Haryana Government had failed on all fronts and people were feeling insecure. They said that Mrs Gandhi should have first taken stock of the law and order situation and of pace of development in those states where Congress was either supporting the ruling party or ruling the state itself.

They said when the present HVP-BJP Government assumed office about two-and-a-half years ago, the people were feeling insecure. The Government took effective steps to enforce rule of the law and infused confidence among the demoralised people. In fact, they said, the law and order situation in Haryana was much better as compared to that of the tenure of previous Congress government.

They said that it was a well known fact that Mrs Sonia Gandhi was only reading out speeches written by those who were trying to make the best out of her ignorance about politics.

They said that, in fact, Congress President was trying to give air to the false propaganda of the alleged suicides committed by some farmers due to their indebtedness so as to gain the lost ground in Haryana. They ridiculed the manner in which Mrs Gandhi expressed her "lip sympathy" with such families saying that the Congress would compensate them, but would decide the amount later.

While refuting the charge of suicides committed by farmers they pointed out it was only a disinformation campaign launched by a former Haryana minister, Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, when his term as member of Rajya Sabha came to an end. They said that the Congress could not digest the success achieved by the present HVP-BJP Government within a short span of over two years.

They said that the government headed by Mr Bansi Lal had got the allegation of suicides committed by farmers due to indebtedness varified and no such death had been reported from any part of the state due to indebtedness. Still a committee had been constituted by the Haryana Vidhan Sabha to look into the issue. They said that the government was always concerned about the welfare of the farming community and was implementing a number of schemes for them.

They said that, the facts point out that the previous Congress government used coercive measures to recover outstanding loans from farmers. For instance, during the Congress regime, 14, 306 warrants were issued and 1674 persons were detained during 1994-95. Similarly, in 1995-96 as many as 6188 warrants were issued and 753 persons were detained. After the present HVP-BJP Government took over on May 11, 1996, only seven warrants were issued and no person had been detained.

They said there had been no successive crop failure in the state, which could lead to any economic hardship to the farmers. There had been some decline in the production of sugarcane during the year 1997-98, but it was not so low as to pull down the economy of the farming community. The production of paddy at 38 lakh metric tonnes during 1997-98 was higher than 36.8 lakh metric tonnes during 1996-97. Similarly, the production of bajra was also higher at 6.73 lakh metric tonnes as compared to 6.5 lakh metric tonnes of last year.

They said that the state government had taken up a number of schemes for the welfare of the farmers. For instance, the farmers were being supplied power on subsidised rate of 50 paise per unit and during the year 1997-98, the state government provided Rs 675 crore to HSEB as RE subsidy. This year this subsidy would be over Rs 700 crore. The present government had also launched a power sector reform project to realise the dream of the people for round-the-clock supply of power. Canal water was also being provided at a very low rate. Subsidy was also being provided on various inputs such as seed, fertilisers and pesticides. Also, subsidy amounting to Rs 77.53 crore was provided on phosphatic fertilisers during 1996-97 and of Rs 97.37 crore during 1997-98. A subsidy of about Rs 130 crore would be given on fertilisers during the year 1998-99.

The farmers are being given subsidy at the rate of Rs 200 per quintal on certified seeds of paddy, wheat and barley; and subsidy of Rs 400 per quintal is given on acid-delinted cotton seed. Similarly, subsidy at the rate of Rs 300 per quintal is provided on the sale of certified seeds of pulses and oil seeds.

They urged the people not to be misled by the propaganda of the Congress President and exhorted the people to recall the bad treatment meted out to them during the Congress regime.

Farmers feel harassed as agencies
play truant
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Oct 13 — With government procurement agencies playing truant, paddy farmers are facing problems in the grain markets of this district. With the arrival of paddy in mandis of the district reaching its peak, all inside roads of the mandis have been blocked with heaps of paddy. Poor procurement has led to a glut in the mandis.

According to official figures, in all 21211 metric tonne of paddy was procured in various grain markets of the district till yesterday. Out of this the Hafed had procured only 773 metric tonne of paddy. The FCI procured 3170 metric tonne while the state Food and Supplies Department procured a meagre 52 metric tonne in the district. Private millers and shellers in the district and procured 17216 metric tonne of paddy till yesterday.

According to a survey of the local grain market farmers whose paddy crop had been affected by rains are the worst sufferers. The government agencies are refusing to procure paddy which is not of specification prescribed by them. According to the prescribed specification the paddy should not have moisture content more than 18 per cent and breakage more than 1.5 per cent. Farmers alleged that the agencies were refusing their paddy under one excuse or the other. As a result they had been forced to resort to distress sale of their produce. According to sources, the crop has been sold for a price as low as Rs 400 a quintal against the support price of Rs 470 a quintal. The farmers alleged that the government agencies were hand in glove with the private millers and dealers, and the poor farmers were being fleeced in the process.

Meanwhile the Food Corporation of India, the biggest government procurement agency has not entered the local market till yet. It is learnt that senior officials of the FCI had directed their subordinates here, not to procure paddy from the local grain market. A row with the state government agencies over the procurement of wheat this year is said to be the reason behind the move. This has compounded the problems of the farmers as the state government agencies have failed to deliver the goods. According to Mr Sunil Chowdhary, district president of the Haryana Pradesh Beopar Mandal, the government should pressurise the officials of the FCI to start procurement, as the latter alone had the required godowns and other infrastructure required for procurement.

The condition of the growers of Muchhal Basmati rice is even more miserable. There is no taken for the crop which usually sells at a rate of Rs 900/- per quintal. Heaps of Muchhal Basmati type of paddy could be seen lying in the mandi. They are lying in the Mandi for past many days.

Some farmers have sold their crop at a price as low as Rs 500 in districts. The farmers are demanding that the government should come to their rescue, so that they may not have to sell their crop at a price lower than support price fixed by the government.

Meanwhile former chairman of the Haryana Forest Corporation Mr Amir Chand Makkar has criticised the government for its anti-farmer policies. Talking to The Tribune, Mr Makkar said that the BJP and the HVP, being pro-traders had ignored the interests of farmers in the state.

Scandal in Public Health unearthed
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

KARNAL: A new method of swindling government funds in the Public Health Department has come to light here. The scandal involves bogus charging of bills for motor repairs and their rewinding on various tubewells in Karnal circle. The scandal has been unearthed by the all-Haryana PWD Mechanical Karamchari Union.

The karamchari union not only exposed the scandal, but according to its general secretary, Mr Om Parkash Bairagi, a complaint was made to the Superintending Engineer, Mr S.K. Mehtani, and the Executive Engineer, Mr S.S. Bidda, in writing on September 22. The Superintending Engineer is reported to have instituted an inquiry into the alleged swindling of funds by a Junior Engineer of the Public Health working in Sub-Division No. 5, Karnal city, whose name figures in the complaint. The union has also sent the copies of the complaint to the Chief Minister of Haryana, Chief Secretary and the Engineer-in-Chief Public Health for speedy and proper inquiry. The union has further demanded from the Public Health Minister that an inquiry should be instituted in such scandals which seems to be a routine affair in the Public Health Department.

According to the complaint, the Junior Engineer concerned had made bogus entry in the log book of tubewell No. 2 at Karan Gate, Karnal, on May 22, 1998. According to the allegedly bogus entry, it has been shown that 375 W motor of the chlorine set was got rewinded and new ball bearings were provided in it. Similarly, the entries further state that a complete repair of the chlorine set was undertaken. Likewise, again on September 15, the same Junior Engineer made another allegedly bogus entry in the log book of tubewell No. 2 at Karan Gate, Karnal, regarding the rewinding, complete repair and providing new ball bearing in the motor of the chlorine pump. The said junior engineer's remarks were challenged by the operator of the tubewell who in his written statement, has said that the "chlorine motor, since it was put in operation at the tubewell had never burnt". Therefore, the question of its opening, repairs, rewinding and providing the new ball bearing does not arise. The tubewell operator in his written statement to the S.D.O. (Public Health) has demanded proper inquiry and action against the said junior engineer who has been making bogus entries to charge money on government account and thus pocketing it. Furthermore, the union has alleged that in one case the Junior Engineer ordered one tubewell operator to switch on the pump while the operator had already made a complaint that the pump was not in working order. Mr Bairagi in the complaint has alleged that the said operator was allegedly threatened by the Junior Engineer and made to switch on the motor pump. Consequently, the motor was burnt within one and a half hour of its start. The operator made an entry to the effect in log book. Later on, this page was torn out and it has been found missing. The union alleges that this was the handiwork of the Junior Engineer who was allegedly involved in threatening the tubewell operator.

The union alleges that such acts of swindling government funds by showing bogus entries have been going on at various tubewells for a long time. Interestingly, the bills regarding the bogus entries and allegedly bogus repair of the chlorine motors were passed by the Public Health authorities. According to the rules, such bills of big amounts are passed by the Executive Engineer, Public Health. How come Mr Bidda did not make proper inquiries before passing such bogus bills. The union has further alleged that in some cases the bills for rewinding the motors have been charged under various categories of repairs of a motor pump, and in some cases excess charges of spareparts and accessories etc. had been shown while actually these were not needed in the repairing and rewinding of motor pump.

Knowledgeable sources told TNS that one bogus entry bill is likely to be charged for over Rs 3,000. How many such bogus entries for repairs are shown by the department can be anybody's guess. The scandal involves lakhs of rupees annually, according to one known source.

Appointment of VC may be delayed
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Oct 13 — The appointment of a regular Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambheshwar University in place of Dr K.L. Johar, whose term expires on October 20, is likely to be delayed as the government has decided to constitute a committee to select the next incumbent.

The committee will consist of three members — two would be nominees of the Executive Council and the third nominee of the Governor-cum-Chancellor of the university. The committee will prepare a panel of at least three names and the Chancellor will appoint one of them as Vice-Chancellor on the advice of the state government.

The government has reportedly amended the Guru Jambheshwar University Act again to make provision for the constitution of the "selection committee" for the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

The government had on October 10 advised the Vice-Chancellor to convene an emergency meeting of the Executive Council so as to decide the names of its nominees on the selection committee. Accordingly, the Vice-Chancellor fixed October 16 for the meeting but it had to be postponed as the date "did not suit" the government nominees on the Executive Council.

The selection committee, after its formal constitution, normally takes over a month to suggest names for the Vice-Chancellor's post. The date for holding the meeting of the Executive Council is yet to be finalised.

The government, therefore, will have to appoint an acting Vice-Chancellor on October 20, the day when the term of Dr Johar expires. If the government decides to appoint the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof K.K. Aggarwal, as acting Vice-Chancellor, it will have to decide on the regular Vice-Chancellor before November 8, the day on which the term of Mr Aggarwal expires.

The Executive Council of the university consists of 18 members, including the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and two members of affiliated colleges. Whether the representatives of these colleges can continue as members of the Executive Council following the disaffiliation of these institutions with Guru Jambheshwar University, is also to be decided by the government and the university.

According to the Guru Jambheshwar University Act, representatives of the affiliated colleges cease to be members of the Executive Council the day the colleges are disaffiliated. Section 21(8) (II) of the Act says "two principals of colleges/institutions admitted to the privileges of university by rotation on the basis of seniority shall be members of the Executive Council."

Hathnikund project likely to be delayed
From U.K. Bhanot
Tribune News Service

HATHNIKUND, Oct 13 — But for the slippage likely to be caused by the delay in the Government of India's sanction for the new link channel to be constructed between Tajewala and the Hathnikund barrage can serve Haryana by the end of June next.

The state gets a steady supply of between 3,000 and 16,000 cusecs of water for irrigation of nearly 50 per cent of the area. However, with the new channel, the state will be able to augment its water supplies by 4,000 cusecs of water at least during the rainy months of July, August and September and a part of October if the rains persist. Thus, this will raise the total supply during these months to 20,000 cusecs to bring additional relief to farmers. It is from November that the discharge from the barrage into the Yamuna canal system starts declining and comes down to nearly 3,000 cusecs by January. However, the flow again increases with the melting of snow in the upper reaches of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

A visit to the Hathnikund barrage site gives the hope of the construction activities further picking up after Divali to complete the entire work of the barrage by the end of June next. The barrage has 18 bays of 18 metres each. Out of 10 bays of the spillway portion, seven have been completed.

While all five right under sluices have been completed, all three left under sluices have yet to be taken up. Also the Eastern Yamuna canal head regulator, which will have four bays of 8 metres each, have to be taken up for construction. Out of the 32 gates to be fabricated for the barrage, 26 have been completed and three erected. Seven more gates will be erected by the middle of next month. The gates will consume 2,800 tonnes of steel, besides 8,000 tonnes of steel for reinforcement of the structure. On its completion, the barrage will have the maximum design capacity of 7.76 lakh cusecs of water.

It is for the first time in the state that a full quality control is being observed at the site. Two super swingers and one crater crane imported from the USA are being used for placement of concrete, in addition to other equipment. Also a fully computerised automatic mixing plant of 90 cubic metres per hour capacity is helping in the construction, besides 120 cubic metres per hour capacity plant which is controlled mechanically.

As without the new channel, the Hathnikund barrage will not become functional, the Haryana Chief Minister had written to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, in June last to accord sanction to the construction of channel which will pass through the wildlife sanctuary area between Tajewala and Hathnikund barrage. The Chief Secretary, Mr R.S. Verma, followed up the Chief Minister's communication to the Centre on September 24. However, no reply has yet been received from the Centre in this connection.

The 3.88 km new link channel will be crucial to make the Hathnikund barrage useful. It will cost Rs 28 crore. It is expected to take 15 months for its completion. The sanction of the Government of India is necessary because the new channel involves felling of 2,400 trees and plantation of an equal number of saplings in an alternative area which has already spared by the Haryana Government to its Forest Department. The Prime Minister heads the Indian Wildlife Board which generally meets only once in a year but has not yet met since last year. It is only after the board's clearance that Haryana can take up the work of link channel construction, says Mr M.L. Gupta, Engineer-in-Chief (Construction), Haryana.

When completed, the new link channel will connect the Hathnikund barrage with the old Western Yamuna canal which will carry more water to the existing Western Yamuna Canal system for irrigation of several parts of Haryana, including Yamunanagar, Panipat, Sonepat, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Jhajhar, Rewari, Mahendragarh and parts of Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts, says Mr Harsh Kumar, Minister of State for Irrigation. It is only after the construction of the Kishau dam by Uttar Pradesh, which is awaiting clearance of the Government of India, that Haryana will get an assured supply of water round the year, says Mr Harsh Kumar.

The barrage will, in fact, provide an alternative to the 124-year-old Tajewala headworks which has already outlived its life. The barrage will cost Rs 167.44 crore being received from the World Bank through the Government of India. Out of this, Rs 108 crore has already been spent.

Minister orders repair of roads
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 13 — The Haryana PWD and Agriculture Minister, Mr Karan Singh Dalal, has said that the Haryana government had ordered the repair of state highways on priority.

He was speaking here as president of the grievances committee meeting today.

He sorted out nine complaints out of a total of 10 on the spot.

Mr Dalal directed the City Magistrate to conduct an inquiry into the complaint of Ms Kamla Singh, vice-president of the Nurses Association, PGIMS here. In her complaint, Ms Kamla Singh said that she had been living with Mr Rajbir Singh as husband and wife but, she alleged that Rajbir married somewhere else. In this connection the SSP, Mr P.K. Aggarwal reportedly told that the complainant failed to produce any evidence in support of her marriage with Mr Rajbir.

Deciding another complaint Mr Dalal directed the superintending engineer HSEB to take necessary action regarding the transmission wires hanging low in Chamanpura locality here. He asked the District Food and Supplies Officer to test samples of petrol frequently, besides, he directed the officials concerned to keep an eye on the preparation of various food products including sweets on the occasion of Divali.

Shooting in court complex, 3 injured
From Our Correspondent

NARNAUL, Oct 13 — There was panic in the town following a shooting incident in the Judicial Complex here in which three persons were injured.

According to sources, Sheo Narain, Bhardesh and ASI Suresh Kumar were admitted to the Civil Hospital here in a serious condition.

The incident took place when seven undertrials were brought here from Rohtak to be produced in the court of Mr M.L. Gulati, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate. There was an altercation between the guard in-charge, ASI Suresh Kumar, and the accused who wanted to eat lunch "outside". The ASI opened fire in self-defence.

Sheo Narain Yadav, Bhardesh, Ram Chander, Prem Kumar, Om Prakash, Hans Raj and Rohtas were to be produced before Mr Gulati in a case under Sections 451, 447, 379, 506 and 34 of the IPC. Lawyers have demanded security in the court premises.

Reports of Dalit ostracisation denied
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Oct 13 — The district administration and the police have denied reports of ostracisation of the Dalit community at Dhani Chhattarian village in the district.

In a joint press release issued here yesterday the Deputy Commissioner, Mr K.S. Yadav, and the SP Mr Rajbir Deswal, termed the news regarding this in a section of the Press as baseless. The release said that though there was a dispute among the villagers over the drainage of rain water, yet some vested and mischievous interests tried to mislead the innocent Dalits for getting political mileage out of it.

They said that a team of civil and police officials was sent to the village to review the situation. The zamindar community, while admitting that there was a discord, strongly denied the reports of social boycott of the Dalit community by them.

According to the release, the Dalits had also admitted that they were instigated by some vested interests to stage a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioners’ office. A meeting of the two communities of the village was called at the local Panchayat Samiti office where the people belonging to both communities vowed to maintain mutual brotherhood and goodwill in the village.

Victim's father seeks justice
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Oct 13 — Mr Subhash Jain, father of Mr Daman Jain, who was robbed of cash and jewellery and was shot at on October 5 in the Urban Estate area, urged the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, to issue directions to the district police to arrest the persons responsible for the attack on his son.

In a representation to the Chief Minister, Mr Jain said that he would go on fast if the police failed to arrest the culprits within a week. He lamented the fact that the police had not even cared to record the statement of the victim so far.

Mr Jain also sent copies of the representation to senior police officials.