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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Thursday, September 24, 1998 |
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Haryana set for telecom
revolution |
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 Resentment over school body's role GURGAON, Sept 23 — There is resentment among the people of the Mewat area in this district against the Haryana government over the way. Mewat model schools in Nuh, Ferozepur, Jhirka and Taoru are being managed by the Delhi Public School Society. |
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Hooda
ridicules Mann's threat |
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Haryana set for telecom revolution AMBALA, Sept 23 — If all goes well with the plans drawn up by the Union Communications Minister, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, and her department, there will be a telecommunication revolution in Haryana in the next 18 months. The Telecom Department has revised its outlay for Haryana from Rs 208 crore to Rs 700 crore. It has also decided to implement the plan before March 31, 2000. Announcing this here today Mrs Swaraj said the department would open 126 telephone exchanges in Haryana in the next six months besides expanding several existing ones. This would meet the telecom needs in rural areas. The department would provide telephones to all rural subscribers who had submitted their applications on or before June 30, 1998, in the next six months. Mrs Swaraj said earlier the department had planned to open 20 telephone exchanges in Haryana and even for that, no date had been fixed. In the urban areas the department would clear the entire waiting list as it existed on March 31, 1998, by the end of the current financial year. She said by the time the plan was fully implemented by March, 2000, new telephone connections in urban areas would be available on demand. Speaking at a function to mark the inauguration of an Internet node, the first of its kind in Haryana, at Ambala cantonment, Mrs Swaraj said the node had 32 ports and could provide TCP-IP and shell services to over 300 subscribers with modular expandability. She said within seven days all district headquarters of Haryana would be provided Internet facilities. Mrs Swaraj said when she took over the Communications Ministry, she was flooded with requests for telephone connections, particularly from the rural areas of Haryana. When she enquired from the department, she learnt that the scheme to provide telephone facilities to all those villages where 10 persons demanded telephone connections just remained on paper. In Haryana villages, the number of telephone aspirants was much more than the minimum prescribed. In total 90,000 persons were waiting for a telephone connection. On the suggestion of a
former Chief General Manager, Telecom, Haryana, Mr R.K.
Gupta, who belonged to Ambala, she said she posted Dr
Devendra Pal Singh Seth, as the CGMT of the state, who
came out with an ambitious plan within 20 days.
Similarly, she said, she appointed a Haryana-cadre senior
IAS officer, Mr Dhanendra Kumar, as Additional Secretary
in her department to give a boost to the telecom schemes
in the state. Mrs Swaraj said the telephone network in the state would be fully replaced by electronic exchanges within the next six months. She said 3000 km of optic fibre cable would be laid. Later talking to newsmen, Mrs Swaraj said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had circulated a proposal for public debate to increase telephone tariff. The Telecom Department was formulating its response to the trai proposal, which would be submitted shortly. However, she favoured lowering of tariff for bulk consumers. She promised to look into complaints that telephone rent charges had gone up in rural areas as a consequence of introduction of the local area policy. She denied that there was any proposal to shift the Hisar TV centre to Bhiwani, which, she said, would have a new low-power transmitter for the telecast of the Metro signal. She would inaugurate the Hisar AIR station some time next month. Staff would be appointed at the newly built Shimla TV centre in the first week of October. Mrs Swaraj said to project a consumer-friendly face of the department, 25 obsolete rules had been identified, which would be scrapped. This would allow the subscribers to install their own telephone sets and have as many parallel connections in their homes on a single line as they wanted. Earlier, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, who presided over the function, said Internet would bring transparency in government functioning. It would also enable the government to inform the general public about its various development schemes speedily. Complimenting Mrs Swaraj, he said she was successful in all her endeavours. Mr Bansi Lal said when she was Education Minister in Haryana, she had improved the department's functioning. Having a dig at his Cabinet colleague, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, who was also present, the Chief Minister said though Mr Sharma was also striving hard to improve the functioning of the Education Department, certain vested interests had "sabotaged" his schemes. Among others who spoke were Dr Devendra Pal Singh, CGMT, Haryana, and Mr S.S. Shankhla, General Manager, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited. KURUKSHETRA, (UNI): Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday called upon Kurukshetra University to take a lead in developing Sanskrit as the talking language of computers, and assured the Centre's assistance in the endeavour. Since America's NASA had proved that the ancient Indian language could be the only scientific language for computers, the universities of the country should come forward to work on this, she said, while inaugurating a youth hostel in the university. She said Sanskrit and
computers should be taught in schools from Class III.
Present on the occasion were Chief Minister Bansi Lal and
Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma. |
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No retrenchment of power staff: CM LADWA (Kurukshetra), Sept 23 (UNI) — Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal today made it clear that neither power tariff would be hiked nor any tax imposed as was being alleged by leaders of Opposition parties. There would also be no retrenchment of staff of bifurcated erstwhile state electricity board and no change in service conditions of its employees, the Chief Minister said while addressing a public meeting here. He also refuted the allegation of the Opposition that the World Bank while sanctioning loan had imposed condition on the state government to raise power tariff. He categorically stated that farmers in the state would continue to get subsidised power at the rate of 50 paise per unit. He cautioned the people against "ill designs" of opposition parties saying that they were jealous of achievements of the present government. He said neither the erstwhile state electricity board had been privatised nor its assets sold. In fact, he said, it had been bifurcated to form two corporations named Genco and Transco, wholly owned by the state government. One of these corporations would generate power, whereas the other would transmit it. He said as a result of effective implementation of the World Bank aided power restructuring programme, round-the-clock power would be available by July next year. Mr Bansi Lal said that the first unit of 146 mw capacity of gas-based Faridabad power plant would be commissioned by January next and he would invite Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to inaugurate the plant being set up by the NTPC. Its second unit of same capacity would be ready by March next. The power generated by this 432 mw plant would be available to consumers in Haryana. He said the four units of 110 MW each at the Panipat thermal plant were being renovated by a German company at a cost of Rs 300 crore. Their power generation capacity would increase from 250 to 270 mw. The delayed sixth unit of 210 mw capacity at the Panipat thermal plant was now being set up by the government at a cost of Rs 640 crore. Also, liquid-fuel based power plants were being set up to improve availability of power. He said tenders had been invited to set up a 500 mw thermal power plant at Yamunanagar. The government also had a plan to set a thermal power plant of same capacity at Hisar. He said a result of effective steps being taken by the government 1279 MW of additional power would be generated in the state during the next one and a quarter year. He said 3,000 km long new power transmission lines had been laid during the last two years and 15,500 km long more lines would be laid within next two years to strengthen the power transmission system. He said separate power lines would be laid for tubewells and domestic connections to improve quality of power for consumers. He said that the state
government had formulated a scheme to raise water table.
The Irrigation Department had been directed to dig
ditches in rivers like Markanda and Tangri to use rain
water in improving water table. |
Resentment over school body's role GURGAON, Sept 23 — There is resentment among the people of the Mewat area in this district against the Haryana government over the way. Mewat model schools in Nuh, Ferozepur, Jhirka and Taoru are being managed by the Delhi Public School Society (DPSS). A number of residents, including parents, have made representations to the Chief Minister and the Union Ministers for Home and Human Resource Development seeking a probe into the functioning of the DPSS, including utilisation of funds given by the Haryana Government to it by way of grants. The Haryana Government has reportedly given a sum of Rs 48 lakh to the society since it took over the management of the schools in September, 1997. In a bid to improve the literary level in Mewat, considered to be the ‘most backward’ area of Haryana, the state government had set up model schools under the aegis of its Mewat Development Agency (MDA). The MDA, controlled by the Mewat Development Board, which is headed by the Chief Minister, had set up the Mewat Model School Society (MMSS) to manage the schools. The first school was set up by the MDA at Nuh in 1995. Later, schools were set up in Ferozepur Jhirka, Punhana, Taoru and Nagina. The Haryana Government entered into an agreement with the DPSS and handed over to it the management of the schools at these places. The schools were to be designated as ‘DPS: Mewat Model School’. The MDB was to make a payment of Rs 50 lakh to the DPSS in three annual instalments for upgradation of infrastructure in these schools. The residents of the Mewat area allege mismanagement of the schools and the funds by this society. However, the Commissioner, Gurgaon Division, who is the Chairman of the MDA and the nominee of the Haryana Government for the ‘DPS: Mewat Model School’, Dr G. Prasanna Kumar, denies the allegations. He claimed that the DPSS was providing quality education and attributed these allegations to ‘disgruntled elements’. The director or headmasters of these schools were not available for comments. However, enquiries by TNS show that the government has initiated a probe into the allegations about the functioning of these schools. One of the allegations is that though the government has so far given Rs 48 lakh to the ‘DPS: Mewat Model School’ for upgradation of infrastructure, the school authorities have spent Rs 23 lakh on the salaries of the staff and are not giving a proper account of how the remaining money has been spent. According to information available with TNS, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the MDA, who is an IAS officer, wrote to the Director of these schools a few days ago, seeking an explanation regarding the more than Rs 1 lakh given by the MDA for paying for a video film. The money was to be treated as advance grant given by the MDA to meet the cost of the film. However, Dr Prasanna Kumar said the letter had been withdrawn as it was written on account of a ‘communication gap’.
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Hooda ridicules Mann's threat CHANDIGARH, Sept 23 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, President, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, has condemned the threat given by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), to fill up the already dug-out portion of the SYL Canal if the government failed to settle the river waters issue and other inter-state issues between Punjab and Haryana by November 20. Ridiculing the threat of Mr Mann, the Haryana PCC President said the issue regarding distribution of river waters between the northern States, including Haryana and Punjab, had already been settled with Eradi Tribunal delivering its award long ago. The only thing which remained to be done was the implementation of this report. Mr Hooda demanded early implementation of this report on the pattern of the interim report on the sharing of Cauvery waters among the four southern States. Mr Hooda said the threat of Mr Mann to fill up the dug-out portion of the SYL Canal was an anti-national act as several hundred crores of rupees were spent on it. Mr Hooda asked the government to take due notice thereof. He advised Mr Mann to shed such postures and join the mainstream in the larger national interest. Lashing out at Mr Mann on the issue of transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab, Mr Hooda said the people of Haryana would not allow anybody to unilaterally transfer Chandigarh to Punjab without the transfer of Hindi speaking areas left out in Punjab to Haryana, construction of a capital for Haryana and completion of SYL Canal in Punjab territory. Mr Hooda reiterated his threat to gherao Delhi and block traffic to the national capital in case of any unilateral decision on these issues affecting the interests of Haryana. Meanwhile, Mr Kamal Sharma, former Additional Advocate-General, Haryana, has been re-admitted to the Congress by the Haryana PCC President in the presence of Ms Meira J.Ram, MP, General Secretary, AICC (In charge party affairs in Haryana).
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Employees disallowed to join duty ROHTAK, Sept 23 — In an attempt to curb the agitational approach of government employees, the Haryana Government has decided not to allow nearly 2,200 employees of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam against whom cases under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) here either been registered or contemplated to join their duties till further decision. According to sources, the Additional Secretary of the Nigam, in a message to the Engineers-in-Chief, Chief Engineers and Superintending Engineers had directed them to follow the instruction strictly. But he calrified that such employees who were arrested under Sections 107 and 151 might be allowed to join their duties and likewise employees who had joined the strike on September 16. But against whom cases under ESMA had neither been registered nor contemplated may be allowed to join their duties. It is alleged that after receiving these instructions some officials converted the presence of employees into absence in attendance registers. It is learnt that one of the Assistant Engineer, Mr M.R. Manuja, posted at the transformer repair workshop here has torn pages of the attendance register to cancel the presence of certain employees. The Bijli Board Union has threatened to lodge a complaint against him. Meanwhile, implementing the policy of "no work no pay" the government has decided to cut one-day salary of the employees who had participated in this strike. However, the employees who are attending their duties but not allowed to mark their presence in the attendance register were sore over the non-payment of their salaries for the period. Describing the action as "anti-employee" Mr Bharat Bhushan, Circle Secretary of the Bijli Karamchari Union said employees would not give even a single penny to the government and would force the government to concede all their demands. He alleged that the government wanted to adopt the policy of divide and rule and that was why it had allowed the employees belonging to public health, education, agriculture and roadways to join their duties despite the fact that they all had been booked under the ESMA. Meanwhile, HKMS members have started a state-wide "halla bol" agitation from yesterday in protest against the non-marking of their presence in the register despite their presence in the office. They staged a dharna in front of the office of the Superintending Engineer here today. The central committee of the HKMS has called an employees rally at Rohtak on November 15 in which a one-day strike call would be given.
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Bhajan Lal, Hooda share dais FARIDABAD, Sept 23 — The two rivals in the Haryana Congress, Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president of the state unit of the party, yesterday shared the stage for the first time at the Samata andolan function at Hasanpur in Hodal subdivision of Faridabad district. Mrs Meira Kumar, AICC General Secretary and president of the andolan, was the chief guest. Party sources said although Mr Hooda was not invited to the function organised by Bhajan Lal supporters. He came at the instance of Mrs Kumar. Mrs Kumar, Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Hooda travelled in the same car to Hasanpur from Faridabad. But the function proved to be an embarrassment for Mr Hooda when speaker after speaker praised Mr Bhajan Lal and described him as the future Chief Minister of Haryana. Party sources said that this provoked Mr Hooda to say that it was a non-political function and politics should not be brought in. Political observers say that the sharing of platform by the arch rivals was an attempt to show that there was unity in the party but it failed to give the desired impression. It is learnt that the Bhajan Lal supporters would not attend the Congress rally being organised by the Hooda faction at Hodal in Faridabad district on September 26. Addressing the andolan Mrs Meira Kumar said the lot of farmers, labourers and dalits had not improved even after 50 years of Independence. The dream of Mr Jagjivan Ram, founder of the samata andolan to bring equality in society had not been fulfilled and disparity had increased. Mr Bhajan Lal said that the law and order situation had deteriorated during two-and-a-half years rule of the Bansi Lal government under this situation the state government had no moral right to stay in power. He called upon the people to support the Congress. Mr Hooda said social freedom could not be achieved without equality. The dream of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru could only be brought through samata andolan.
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Chautala seeks central rule in
Haryana CHANDIGARH, Sept 23 — The Haryana Lok Dal (Rashtriya), which is supporting the Vajpayee Government at the Centre, has raised the demand for the imposition of President's rule in Haryana "in view of the fast deteriorating law and order situation in the State". In a statement issued here today, the HLDR President, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, said the Centre should not adopt double standard for different States. All States should be treated alike. While the Centre had recommended the imposition of President's rule in Bihar in view of the law and order situation in that State, no such step had been taken in regard to Haryana where the situation was worse than Bihar. He said even the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, had admitted an increase in the crime rate. He said the HVP-BJP combine had lost the popular mandate in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections and it had no moral right to continue in power. Mr Chautala alleged that corruption by influential persons had touched a new record. Therefore, the Centre must recommend President's rule in Haryana.
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Manoj Godara case trial on Oct 6 CHANDIGARH, Sept 23 — The Judicial Magistrate, Mr Tejwinder Singh, today committed Manoj Godara, a nephew of the Haryana Home Minister, Mr Mani Ram Godara, and Harvinder Singh, alias Vicky, to the Sessions Court for trial in connection with the Sector 10 firing incident in which Manjit Singh was killed. The case will now come up for trial on October 6. Both Manoj and Harvinder Singh were arrested by the local police after registering a case under Section 302, IPC. After their custodial interrogation, they were remanded in judicial lock-up. The additional Sessions Judge had yesterday rejected the bail plea of Manoj Godara.
Postal stamp on Batalvi AMBALA, Sept 23 — The Postal Department will bring out commemorative stamps and first day covers with three personalities and events connected with the region. Announcing this at a press conference here today the Union Communications Minister, Mrs Sushma Swaraj, said the department would issue a first day cover on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Chandigarh. A commemorative stamp
would be issued on the occasion of the 25th death
anniversary of well-known Punjabi poet Shiv Batalvi.
Another stamp would be issued to commemorate the 300th
year of the birth of the Khalsa Panth. |
Institution booked for fraud BHIWANI, Sept 23 — Bhiwani police has registered a fraud case against a technical institution situated at the Behal-Jhumpa border area in this district. The institution, run by three transport companies had allegedly started a "transport technical course" this session. Parents whose wards were admitted to the course had alleged that the institution charged a huge sum for the "modern course". The institution had published advertisements in leading newspapers saying that the course was recognised by the CBSE, New Delhi, and had also assured jobs to students on completion of the course because of its ties with "three leading transport companies". The parents say they were shocked to learn that the course was not recognised and the institution had defrauded them . The police has started investigations.
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