Using sarovar to stem water table fall
CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — The holy waters of the sacred Brahm Sarovar in Kurukshetra will be soon utilised to replenish the ever-declining ground water reserves of the area.

Drought-hit farmers' woes compounded
NARWANA, Oct 27 — Farmers in Narwana subdivision and other parts of Jind district, as well as in Southern parts of Haryana, including Mahendergarh, Rewari, Bhiwani and Jhajhar districts are suffering because of drought conditions.

Case against MDU V-C "false"
ROHTAK, Oct 27 — The Investigating Officer of the Pinjore police station, Panchkula, has termed the criminal case lodged against the Maharshi Dayanand University, Vice-Chancellor, Lt-Gen O.P. Kaushik (retd), and his aides as false.

Rally by reserved category staff on October 31
CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — While the Haryana Government has issued instructions to all heads of departments to implement the judgement of the Supreme Court, ruling out accelerated promotions and seniority to the employees of the reserved categories, the affected communities have decided to launch a statewide campaign to mobilise public opinion in support of their cause.

Joharnali-Kharian channel sanctioned
SIRSA, Oct 27 — An additional channel from Joharnali to Kharian will be constructed on the Ghaghar to meet the water scarcity in the area.

• Farmers, traders resent Ambala MC apathy
• Shake-up in pollution Control Board
• Sonepat goes without power

Mid-term poll in Haryana unlikely
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Oct 27 — The mid-term elections to the Haryana Vidhan Sabha are not likely to be held along with the other states, which are going to the polls in February next year, according to reliable sources.

Earlier it was in the air that the INLD government led by Mr Om Prakash Chautala would dissolve the Assembly paving the way for mid-term elections after the ruling combine won all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana.

Encouraged by the people’s overwhelming support for the candidates of the alliance it was confident that the voters would give a comfortable majority in the Assembly to the combine if mid-term elections were held.

But the situation has changed after the Lok Sabha election following the big increase in the diesel prices by the Centre which had angered the farmers, the main votebank of the INLD.

Another reason for not going in for a mid-term poll is the shortage of electricity leading to long power cuts, which has put the life out of gear both in the cities and villages. Increase in the rates of LPG and reduction in subsidies, which would boost prices, are also on the cards.

The reported decision of the BJP not to join the INLD government, but support it from outside as had been done by the INLD at the Centre has also come in the way of the decision to order the mid-term poll.

It is also stated that there is a dispute between the INLD and the BJP on the sharing of seats. While the BJP wants to have 50 per cent share of seats, which the INLD is not prepared to give.

Under these circumstances it is thought that it would not be a wise decision to dissolve the Assembly but wait till the beginning of 2001 when the five-year term of the Vidhan Sabha would expire.

On the other hand Congressmen have already started pulling the strings in Delhi for securing the party nomination.

CM keen on upgrading link roads
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, Oct 27 — The Haryana Government has asked the Haryana Agricultural Marketing Board to provide necessary missing links on link roads to enable farmers to transport their produce to the mandis at the earliest.

This was revealed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister, Haryana, while addressing a public meeting at Kariwala village, 50 km from here, today. He said the existing roads would be repaired and bridges would be provided on the link roads.

Mr O.P. Lather, Chief Engineer, Agricultural Marketing Board, assured the Chief Minister that the work would be executed by June 2000.

Mr Chautala said the Punjab and Rajasthan governments had agreed to complete the inter-state roads at the earliest. This would also enable the farmers in the border areas to transport their agricultural produce to the nearest mandis. Dr Sushil Indora, MP, announced Rs 5 lakh for the construction of a bridge on the Kariwala-Ellenabad road.

He said poor availability of power was due to a fault in the northern grid but he was trying to get power from the neighbouring states to enable the farmers to carry out rabi sowing in time.

The Chief Minister said he would lay foundation stone of the Ottu headworks on November 1.

Mr Chautala announced upgradation and setting up of schools at Dhudianwali village, Sainpal, Mattuwala, Bani and Sadewala villag. Accepting demands of the people of the area, he agreed to extend road between Mattuwala and Sainpal, setting up of regional branches of cooperative bank at Kariwala and Bani, shifting of electric wires passing over residential areas.

The Chief Minister visited several villages and heard the villagers grievances.

Crucial meeting on power sector reforms tomorrow
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — The fate of the World Bank-sponsored reforms in the power sector in Haryana will be decided at the crucial meeting between Mr D.Mostefai, principal energy specialist heading the bank's team, and Mr Om Prakash Chautala chief minister, scheduled for October 29.

The team, which arrived here yesterday, has held a series of meetings with senior officers of the state government in the past two days. It has expressed concern over the slow down in the pace of reforms and restructuring of the electricity board and asked for a firm commitment from the new government that it stood by the programme and condition agreed to by the previous regime while negotiating the Rs 2400 crore credit.

The state has spent about Rs 200 crore of the Rs 240 crore released by the bank. But the electricity tariff is yet to be revised. The increase of 25 paise per unit proposed for the farm sector was the lowest but this has not been effected.

The team has been concerned particularly over the attitude of the present government regarding privatisation of distribution and asserted that it should be carried out in practice. This is one area where doubts have been created regarding the intentions of the government because of the public utterances of Mr Chautala, who had openly expressed his opposition to it.

As a political decision has to be taken in the matter, the officers were in no position to make any commitments to the bank this regard. In fact the officials are awaiting the outcome of the meeting which will clear the clouds of uncertainty hovering over the restructuring programme.

Bhajan, Hooda differ on poll debacle
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Oct 27 — It was once again a direct confrontation between the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and his arch rival and former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, at the "introspection" meeting held at the AICC headquarters. The meeting held on October 24 was chaired by Mr A.K. Antony, Chairman, AICC Introspection Committee.

The meeting was held to discuss the party's debacle in the recent elections with HPCC leaders, who included, besides Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Hooda, former PCC President Birender Singh, state-level and district-level leaders, party legislators and party candidates from Haryana for the Lok Sabha elections. However, Ms Selja was conspicuous by her absence.

Mr Antony was supposed to seek the views of the state leaders on the party's performance, as part of his "introspection" agenda. Earlier, he had held similar meetings of party leaders from Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Chandigarh.

Mr Bhajan Lal reportedly attributed the humiliating defeat of the party to the support lent by the Congress to the Bansi Lal government. This was obviously an indirect charge against Mr Hooda, who had advocated the support.

However, Mr Hooda reportedly argued that there were several factors which were responsible for the party's defeat. He pointed out that had the support to Mr Bansi Lal been the sole reason, then the party candidates would not have lost from the Kalka and Mandi Adampur Assembly segments which were represented by Mr Chander Mohan and Mr Kuldeep Bishnoi, both sons of Mr Bhajan Lal, who had opposed the support to Mr Bansi Lal.

A questionnaire marked "strictly confidential" was circulated among the legislators, party candidates and other office-bearers.

The questionnaire has been divided into three parts. The first part deals with the "All-India assessment", the second with the "state-level assessment" and the third with the "constituency-level assessment". There are five questions each, in the three parts relating to "major issues in the elections, major causes for concern, major causes for satisfaction and overall rating (good, satisfactory or disturbing)". Besides, the questionnaire also seeks recommendation, "if needed" on "organisational, disciplinary and other issues".

The answers to the questionnaire will be made to the AICC Introspection Committee and there will be no attribution or direct quotation in the committee's report, expected to be submitted by November 30.

Using sarovar to stem water table fall
By Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — The holy waters of the sacred Brahm Sarovar in Kurukshetra will be soon utilised to replenish the ever-declining ground water reserves of the area.

The indiscriminate exploitation of ground water for irrigation and other purposes has over years caused a steep fall in the water table. Studies conducted by the regional centre of the Central Ground Water Board reveal that ground water level in and around the town has gone down to 16.52 m in 1974, a decline of about nine meters. In some other parts of the district the decline of about nine metres. In some other parts of the district the decrease is as high as 12 metres. At one time the level was just five metres.

Alarmed at the dwindling ground water level, the Centre is implementing a scheme for artificial recharging of the reserves with the surplus water available from the Brahm Sarovar. Every year the sarovar is drained down upto 1.6 m for cleaning. This water will now be used to recharge the desaturated aquifer.

Under the scheme two injection wells and two recharge shafts are being constructed for artificial replenishment of the ground water. While the injection well will recharge at the rate of seven litres per second, the shaft will function at double the rate. Of the total 6.3 lakh cubic metre water available from the sarovar, as much as 4.35 lakh cubic metre will be utilised for recharging annually. The cost of recharging will be around 15 paise per cubic metre over a period of 15 years. The recharge structures will be operational for 120 days in a year.

While on-line filters and dirt stainers are being used in injection wells, the recharge shafts will be filled with boulders, gravel, coarse sand and fine sand to filter out silt from water source. The scheme will become operational by December 15.

In some other parts of the district a paradoxical situation is emerging. The watertable is declining with each passing day but at the same time surface water is stagnating in depressed stretches of land. The Centre has identified a large number of such natural depressions in Kirmich and neighbouring villages of Pehowa block where rain water stagnates. An impermeable band of clay, about three to five metre wide, does all the surface water to percolate into the dried aquifers.

The Centre has also drawn up plan to construct 16 recharge shafts in such stretches. The scheme will serve dual purpose. While there will be no need to dewater the stagnant pools using pump, the smooth passage of surface water into the ground through the shafts will help raise the water table, says Dr M. Mehta, Director of the regional centre, here.

Artificial recharging, he said become absolutely necessary in view of the on going over exploitation of the ground water.

Drought-hit farmers' woes compounded
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

NARWANA, Oct 27 — Farmers in Narwana subdivision and other parts of Jind district, as well as in Southern parts of Haryana, including Mahendergarh, Rewari, Bhiwani and Jhajhar districts are suffering because of drought conditions. The farmers are having a hard time on account of scanty rainfall, power shortage and hike in the prices of diesel.

A visit to the Uchana area and western parts of Narwana adjoining Punjab revealed that large tracts of land were lying unsown.

Thirty per cent less rain fall in the region as compared to last year has affected the paddy and maize crops. The distress sale of paddy has also added to the woes of the farmers. A farmers of Kharak Pandva village said because of poor yield of the kharif crop, he had not been able to repay his loans which he had raised for buying fertiliser and seeds. Similar views were expressed by Bishambar Singh, a resident of Kalram village.

The farmers are now worried about the sowing of the rabi crop. A large number of them having small holdings, are not in a position to raise funds to buy diesel to run their pumping sets required to irrigate their fields before taking up the sowing of wheat crop. The farmers are also hard on cash to buy quality seeds.

A number of farmers in these areas opined that the paddy yield had been about 20 to 30 per cent less than expected. Besides, the green fodder crop had also been adversely affected.

Jind district, known for its cattle population, is facing a shortage of green fodder like maize, bajra and "chari" and this has compounded the problems of the farmers by reducing the milk yield in the area.

The power shortage is another hurdle in the way of timely sowing of wheat crop. A number of farmers, who produce three crops a year, used to sow "toria crop before sowing late varieties of wheat. But this time because of scanty rainfall they have not been able to sow 'toria' crop.

Although, the Chautala government is making an all out effort to provide maximum power to the farmers.

Case against MDU V-C "false"
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 27 — The Investigating Officer of the Pinjore police station, Panchkula, has termed the criminal case lodged against the Maharshi Dayanand University, Vice-Chancellor, Lt-Gen O.P. Kaushik (retd), and his aides as false.

He informed the court of Mr Lakshman Sharma, Additional Sessions Judge, Ambala, that no such occurrence as stated in the complaint filed by Mr Nafe Nath had taken place. Moreover, the matter had been referred to the appropriate authorities for the cancellation of this FIR. He further informed the court that the Vice-Chancellor and his associates were not required for further investigation.

In view of the aforesaid report, the counsel for the petitioner has made a statement that he does not wish to press his application for bail at this stage and the same may be dismissed as having been withdrawn.

Under the circumstances, the ADJ has directed the SHO, Pinjore police station, to give a seven-day notice to the applicants in case they are required to be taken into custody in this connection.

It may be recalled that on the complaint of Mr Nafe Nath the Pinjore police had registered a criminal case against the Vice-Chancellor and his aides under Sections 395, 450, 298-A, 297, 323, 327, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC on August 24 last.

Rally by reserved category staff on
October 31
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — While the Haryana Government has issued instructions to all heads of departments to implement the judgement of the Supreme Court, ruling out accelerated promotions and seniority to the employees of the reserved categories, the affected communities have decided to launch a statewide campaign to mobilise public opinion in support of their cause.

The Arkshan Bachao Samiti, affiliated to the All-India Confederation of Reserved Categories Association, is organising a rally at Kurukshetra on October 31.

The rally will draw the attention of the people towards the series of anti-quota decision taken by the government over the past two years which had virtually reduced the reservation by 40 per cent to 50 per cent.

Mr J.S. Solkhi, organiser of the rally, said a conspiracy was being hatched to end reservations through judicial intervention. The apex court early this year barred reservation of seats in higher technical courses like MD and M.Tech on the plea that it was not in the national interest. Now by a recent verdict the employees of the reserved categories had been denied accelerated seniority on promotion over the general categories.

He said rallies would be organised at the district level in the first phase. It would be nationwide campaign to bring pressure on Parliament to enact the necessary law to protect the interests of the reserved categories.

Joharnali-Kharian channel sanctioned
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, Oct 27 — An additional channel from Joharnali to Kharian will be constructed on the Ghaghar to meet the water scarcity in the area. This was announced by the Chief Minister, Mr O.P. Chautala, while addressing a villagers' rally during his three day visit to the interior areas of his home district.

Mr Chautala said the new channel to be constructed at a cost of Rs 2.13 crore would irrigate 8,434 acres in about 12 villages. The Chief Minister interacted with the villagers and on their complaint suspended an Executive Engineer, Panchayati Raj, for his misbehaviour and use of substandard material for construction. He also heard public grievances and redressed these on the spot. Mr Chautala also acceded to the demand for the upgradation of schools at Kharian Chakkan, Bhuna and Nathore villages.

He also sanctioned the construction of pucca streets, retaining walls of village ponds, boosting stations for water works. boundary walls around the cremation ground and a place for the disposal of dead animals. He also provided volley ball equipment to young players at Fatehpuria and blessed them.

Sonepat goes without power
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 27 — Sonepat city and its adjoining areas remained without electricity for at last eight hours yesterday following the switching off of power supply from 220 KV sub-station at Narela by the Delhi Electricity Supply Undertaking (DESU).

According to the consumers, this was the worstever power crisis in this city. Normal life was thrown out of gear and business activity was also affected badly. Water supply, hospital services, telephone and telegraph services were the worst-hit.

Official sources revealed that the management of DESU switched off the power supply for the maintenance and repair of the 220 KV grid power sub-station at Narela. The power supply which was switched off at 8 am and restored finally around 4 pm. The closing down of two generating sets at the Panipat thermal power sub-station also added to the woes of the consumers in this region.

Shake-up in pollution Control Board
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — The reshuffle, including some inter-departmental transfers, in the Haryana State Pollution Control Board has been ordered by the Governor of Haryana.

According to information available, Mr S.C. Mann, who was Regional Officer, 1, Headquarters, has been transferred to the Planning section against Dr Y.P. Sharma. Mr Sharma goes to the Cess branch against a vacant post.

Mr A.K. Rana, an environment engineer, who was the Regional Officer (Chandigarh), goes against the post previously held by Mr Mann.

Mr R.K. Sharma, an environmental engineer, has gone on promotion as Regional Officer, Sonepat, against a vacant post. Another environment engineer, Mr R.K. Singla, who was posted as Regional Officer Monitoring, Gurgaon, is being repatriated to his parent department — PWD, Public Health.

Farmers, traders resent Ambala MC apathy
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — Resentment prevails among farmers and traders over the indifferent attitude of the Ambala municipal committee and the marketing board towards their problems.

A spokesman of the local traders federation said the marketing committee of the grain market was collecting over Rs 1 lakh daily as the fee from paddy growers and it had not provided any facility to them. There were no arrangements for unloading of the produce, no waiting sheds for farmers and no foodstalls. The farmers who came from far-off places were forced to spend the night by roadside in the absence of any lodging facility.

The water provided was not fit for drinking and insanitary conditions prevailed in and around the market.

Despite repeated assurances from the authorities, no effort had been made to start work on the new anaj mandi to be built on the G.T. Road, he lamented.