Expedite pending cases: Centre
CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — The Centre has asked the Haryana Government to expedite all pending cases of people seeking Indian citizenship in order to not only clear the backlog but also to take early decision on matters hanging fire for years.

Sugar mill workers hold rally
ROHTAK, Sept 12 — Members of the Haryana Sugar Mill Workers Federation organised a massive rally here yesterday and demanded that employees of sugar mills should be paid wages on a par with Haryana Government employees.

Leave encashment for employees
CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — The Haryana Women Development Corporation will extend to its employees the benefit of leave encashment and introduce gratuity scheme on the pattern of government employees.

Pageant of dance, music
ROHTAK, Sept 12 — A rich and colourful pageant of dance and music was presented by a visiting cultural troupe of Philippines today in the University College auditorium.

15 cr to be spent on repair of roads
YAMUNANAGAR, Sept 12 — A sum of Rs 15 crore will be spent on the repair of roads in Haryana during the current year.

School building unsafe
GURGAON, Sept 12 — Government Senior Secondary School, Garhi, has been in an unsafe building for the past eight years.

Order makes patrol duty must
SONEPAT, Sept 12 — Mr P.K. Mahapatra, District Magistrate, today enforced the Punjab Village Small Towns Patrol Act, making it compulsory for all able-bodied adult male villagers to perform round-the-clock patrol duty to guard government property and other vital installations

3 revenue officials suspended
SONEPAT, Sept 12 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr P.K. Mahapatra, has ordered the suspension of three officials of the district Revenue Department — one girdawar and two patwaris.

PWD minister revolts against Bansi Lal
By Yoginder Gupta and Brajinder Ahlawat

CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — The Haryana PWD Minister, Mr Dharamvir Yadav, has raised a banner of revolt against the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, whom he publicly criticised at a meeting of his supporters held at Jhaal village in the Sahlawas Assembly constituency this evening.

Mr Yadav described Mr Bansi Lal as an obstinate person, "who is manipulating to join the Congress". His main grievance was that while funds were being diverted for the development of Bhiwani, other constituencies were being discriminated against.

Mr Yadav told TNS on the telephone from Gurgaon tonight that so far he had not resigned from the Cabinet. However, he could quit the ministry "soon". He ruled out any possibility of a compromise with the Chief Minister.

Referring to Mr Bansi Lal's current public contact programme, Mr Yadav alleged that this was aimed at preparing the ground for joining the Congress. He alleged that Mr Bansi Lal did not care for any minister, was an obstinate person and hated everybody except his own members of family.

He said he would continue to protest against the "high-handednes of Mr Bansi Lal" within and outside the HVP. He said he did not care if he was dropped from the ministry.

Mr Yadav also alleged that during the recent police recruitment, people from Bhiwani district were given preference over other districts. He alleged that out of 1800 constables recruited, 1100 belonged to Bhiwani. He went on to allege that Mr Bansi Lal was not "loh pursuh (iron man)" but "vinash pursuh".

Sources in the HVP, here, however, say Mr Yadav's outburst against the Chief Minister was aimed at inviting expulsion from the HVP. They say Mr Yadav knows that the Chief Minister wants to drop him from the Cabinet because in the last transfer season, Mr Yadav, the allege, had brought disrepute to the government by allowing his members of family to interfere in the transfers.

Implement Eradi panel report: Chautala
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Sept 12 — The Indian National Lok Dal supremo, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, has demanded immediate implementation of the Eradi Tribunal recommendations so that Haryana could have its share from the Ravi-Beas waters.

He refused to participate in the all-party meeting proposed to be held by the PCC chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, to chalk out a common strategy on securing the Ravi-Beas waters for Haryana and setting the territorial dispute with Punjab. Mr Chautala said that the Congress party has no stand as its leaders were speaking in contradictory tones on these issues.

The former Chief Minister urged the Governor to dismiss the Bansi Lal government as it has failed to maintain law and order. The Indian National Lok Dal, he said, had also submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister to seek dismissal of the state government.

Because of insufficient rain at least eight districts — Rohtak, Jhajjar, Sonepat, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, and Sirsa — were facing drought-like conditions. He demanded that the recovery of agricultural loans from the farmers in these districts should be deferred.

His party would contest the ensuing assembly elections in Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. Though the party would contest elections of its own, he did not rule out the possibility of an alliance with other parties. The number of seats and candidates would be decided at the appropriate time.

He opposed the privatisation of the power sector and said that if voted to power, his party would provide power and water free of cost to the agricultural sector.

The Indian National Lok Dal, he said, would hold a rally on September 25 at Rewari to celebrate the 85th birthday of Mr Devi Lal.

No tax levied on farm sector: CM
Tribune News Service

NISEING (Karnal), Sept 12 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, here today claimed that the HVP-BJP government had not levied any tax on farm sector since it came to power.

Addressing a well-attended rally, he said taxes worth Rs 177.41 crore had been levied so far to cover the deficit left by the previous government and dismissed the allegations of the Haryana National Lok Dal chief, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, that the government had levied taxes to the tune of Rs 3,300 crore.

He said his government was not anti-employee and that pay scales and perks on the basis of the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission report had already been granted.

The Chief Minister reiterated his stand that the government would deal with striking employees in accordance with the law.

He said power and water free of cost to farmers was neither feasible nor desirable". He said the World Bank would give Haryana Rs 2,400 crore for strengthening the power infrastructure.

He announced the upgradation of schools at Bastli and Barota villages. Middle School at Ammupur village would be upgraded to a High school.

Mr Bansi Lal gave Rs 4.69 lakh to the people of the area.

Notification on MC staff transfer likely
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Sept 12 — The Haryana Cabinet is learnt to have approved the suggestion of the local municipal corporation regarding the transfer of its employees and officials to other civic bodies in the state.

This action has been taken to curb the growing inefficiency and corruption by employees who have been serving here since the inception of the corporation in 1972. As the corporation does not have any service rules, they can not be transferred. Moreover, there is no other municipal corporation in Haryana.

Mr Abhilaksh Likhi, the then Commissioner of the corporation, had sent a comprehensive draft of the service rules to the state government for approval.

Sources said here today that the notification approving the service rules would be issued soon.

The government's decision has caused panic among the employees, some of whom are thinking of moving the high court after the issuance of the notification.

When contacted Mr Subedar Suman, Mayor, said the panic was unwarranted, adding that the transfer, if any, would be made after the approval of the general house of the corporation.

Expedite pending cases: Centre
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — The Centre has asked the Haryana Government to expedite all pending cases of people seeking Indian citizenship in order to not only clear the backlog but also to take early decision on matters hanging fire for years.

A large number of cases of people seeking Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Act 1955, have been pending for years because of improper scrutiny and submission of insufficient documents to the Government of India. The Centre has also asked the state governments to scrutinise all applications properly before forwarding these to the Centre for grant of citizenship.

The Centre has pointed out that in large number of cases repeated back references had to be made and as a result the cases remained pending for years. It has asked the state officials to observe all instructions for verifications of details scrupulously. While forwarding applications, the state governments should satisfy themselves that the applicants meet the specified criteria.

It has made it clear that people having received acceptance letters can in no way consider themselves to be Indian citizens. There are cases in which acceptance in principle to register the applicants as Indian citizens was conveyed to the state government a long time ago. However, even after the lapse of a considerable time, the Home Ministry has neither received the requisite documents nor heard about the action taken. In the absence of a final decision the applicant cannot be considered an Indian citizen merely on the strength of the acceptance letter he possesses.

Sugar mill workers hold rally
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Sept 12 — Members of the Haryana Sugar Mill Workers Federation organised a massive rally here yesterday and demanded that employees of sugar mills should be paid wages on a par with Haryana Government employees.

The rally was addressed among others by Mr Karnail Singh, president, Punjab Sugar Mill Workers Federation, and his Haryana counterpart, Mr Nasib Singh.

The rallyists demanded, besides pay scales, a time-bound promotion policy, regularisation of those employees who had put in five years' service and 60 per cent of wages to the experienced workers. The rally also urged the government to reinstate the retrenched employees of the Panipat distillery.

Mr Nasib Singh regretted that the Centre had dissolved the wage board for sugar mill workers on October 29 last year and had so far failed to constitute a new one.

He said sugar mill workers in Haryana were the lowest paid and demanded that Haryana pay scales should be given to them also.

Mr Karnail Singh said it was proposed to launch an agitation jointly by the Punjab and Haryana Sugar Mill Workers Federation in support of their demands.

Leave encashment for employees
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Sept 12 — The Haryana Women Development Corporation will extend to its employees the benefit of leave encashment and introduce gratuity scheme on the pattern of government employees.

This decision was taken at the 61st meeting of the corporation held here under the chairmanship of Mrs Meenaxi Anand Chaudhary, Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Social Welfare Department and Chairperson of the corporation.

Mrs Chaudhary stressed the need to prepare a comprehensive and compact package for the socio-economic amelioration of the women. Besides giving loan, she said, marketing facilities should also be provided to the women by involving other corporations like the Handloom and Handicrafts Corporation and the Export Corporation.

She said the board would introduce the leave encashment scheme in the corporation at its own level as it has been introduced by the Haryana Harijan Kalyan Nigam and the Haryana Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Section Kalyan Nigam.

Mrs Dheera Khandelwal, Managing Director, Women Development Corporation, said the corporation would provide a loan of Rs 5.50 crore to 2300 women beneficiaries during the current financial year.

Pageant of dance, music
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Sept 12 — A rich and colourful pageant of dance and music was presented by a visiting cultural troupe of Philippines today in the University College auditorium.

Presented under the banner of the Indo-Philippines Cultural Show, it was the joint effort of the Students' Welfare Department of Maharshi Dayanand University and Kalimannen Dance Group of the Philippines Embassy.

The visiting group presented traditional dances of their country, including the famous Babmoo dance. As a grand finale the group presented a group song "My country" in which even Ambassador Jose P. Del Rosario Jr participated.

The university students presented Haryanavi solo and group dances, including a Rajasthani dance.

The Vice-Chancellor, Lt-Gen O. P. Kaushik, traced the historical and cultural similarities between the two countries. The Ambassador of Philippines called for people to people contact between the two countries and also called for close economical and cultural cooperation.

15 cr to be spent on repair of roads
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Sept 12 — A sum of Rs 15 crore will be spent on the repair of roads in Haryana during the current year.

Mr Charan Dass Shorewala, Finance Minister, Haryana, while talking to reporters here yesterday informed that the Public Works Department (B&R) would start the work from September 15.

He said that all roads in the state would be repaired soon and announced that the Centre would financially assist in the completion of the Tejli sports complex in Yamunanagar.

Mr Shorewala stated that Rs 16 crore would be spent during the current year on sports in Haryana.

He declared that the pension of sportsmen/women who had attained the age of 60 had been increased from Rs 700 to Rs 1000.

He stated that the state government had implemented the new pay scales on the pattern of the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission as accepted by the Government of India.

School building unsafe
From Our Correspondent

GURGAON, Sept 12 — Government Senior Secondary School, Garhi, has been in an unsafe building for the past eight years.

According to reliable sources, eight years ago the Public Works Department (Building and Roads) had declared 10 out of the 17 rooms of the school building as 'unsafe'.

However, owing to lack of repair and maintenance all these years, the roofs and walls of the building are in a bad shape.

The school has 900 students and a staff strength of 40. During the rainy season, in view of the building being unsafe, the school authorities are forced to declare 'holidays' for students of Classes VI to VIII.

Earlier, the room of the school watchman had collapsed. Luckily, the watchman and his family were not in the room at that time.

Order makes patrol duty must
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 12 — Mr P.K. Mahapatra, District Magistrate, today enforced the Punjab Village Small Towns Patrol Act, making it compulsory for all able-bodied adult male villagers to perform round-the-clock patrol duty to guard government property and other vital installations like canal banks, drains, bridges, ring bandhs, protective bandhs, culverts, railway tracks, roads, power transmission lines, telegraph lines, etc, falling under their jurisdiction.

According to official sources, this order comes into immediate effect and would continue until October 8. The order has been issued for taking special measures to avoid any mishap or untoward incident during the proposed strike on September 16, a call for which has been given by the Sarv Karamchari Maha Sangh, Haryana and other employees unions.

The strike call has been given in protest against the non-acceptance of the demands of the agitating employees by the state government.

3 revenue officials suspended
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Sept 12 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr P.K. Mahapatra, has ordered the suspension of three officials of the district Revenue Department — one girdawar and two patwaris.

According to official sources, the officials are Birender Singh, Shiv Dass and Sushil Kumar. The Deputy Commissioner has also recommended the suspension of Fateh Singh, Circle Revenue Officer to the Commissioner, Rohtak division, for allegedly being involved in a land sale deed racket.

The action has been taken following public complaints alleging that these officials were in connivance with some persons who had sold the 'thola pana' land in Sargathal village of this district at a price lower than that fixed by the Collector.