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| Sunday, March 12, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Experts advocate corporate farming 10 zila parishad members elected Shanta defends Constitution review
Not wearing a helmet turns into an
issue |
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Exam centres shifted Carrying of arms banned
Two students missing 1 killed, 2 hurt by robbers 21 undertrials released
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Ambala water highly toxic AMBALA, March 11 — The unplanned development and unauthorised encroachments in several parts of Ambala city and the cantonment area have been making the task of checking the underground mixing of drinking and drainage water difficult. Residents of several colonies complain that they do not only face the shortage of drinking water especially in the summer but at times they also have to consume contaminated water. Around 30 per cent of the samples of the drinking water collected from different parts of urban and rural area by the Health Department in the district have been found unfit for consumption as per the reports of the state laboratory where water is tested. The pipelines in the old part of the city are too old to carry the proper supply of water. A large quantity of water in leakage. Some pipelines have been reduced due to scrap. Even after repeated complaints by people, officers of the Public Health Department do not seem to act. This leakage can lead to a major outbreak of water-born diseases. According to official guidelines the underground drainage and the drinking water pipelines should be laid at the distance of over 1 metre of one another. But in some places, two pipelines are laid side by side. In fact, at some places, some pipelines have been passing through the drains. In the rainy season, the water of drains overflows on to the pipelines of drinking water. In some areas desilting is also not possible due to encroachments over the drains. Some residents complain of very low water pressure in their area. Even those living on the ground floor do not get sufficient water. Many persons have installed booster pumps directly on the pipelines in their houses by which they manage to take the water even to the top storey, affecting the supply of those who can not afford the pumps. Many colonies, most of them unauthorised, have not been getting drinking water. They have to depend upon the underground water of hand pumps which may contain fluorides, sulphates, nitrates, lead, nickel and chromium. According to a water
analyst, the pollutants and pesticides from industrial
and agriculture sites and microbial waste from solid
landfill sites leaches into the groundwater, making it
highly toxic. This can cause rickets, kidney damage and
gastrointestinal diseases. |
Experts advocate corporate
farming KURUKSHETRA, March 11 — Professor J.D. Aggarwal, Chairman and Director, Indian Institute of Finance, New Delhi said corporatisation of agriculture was the only answer to meet future foodgrains requirements as it could increase production by upto 200 million tonnes, sufficient to meet both food requirements and allow for exports. He was addressing a national seminar on 'Contemporary Issues in Corporate Restructuring in India in the New Millennium' at the Faculty Lounge of Kurukshetra University today. The two-day seminar has been organised by the Department of Management. In Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandra Babu Naidu had shown what corporation could do. He said and pleaded for changes in outdated and obsolete laws and Acts framed by the British 200 years ago. He said restructuring of the corporate system was a prerequisite for globalisation. Prof Hoshiar Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University said quality restructuring should touch common people too and not be limited to a small percentage of the population. He added that restructuring done in haste could boomerang and a lot of thought should be given to such reforms. He wanted that thinkers in the field of management to introduce value-based management systems and urged scholars to look into the larger issue of restructuring. Shri P.K. Choudhary, Chairman & Managing Director, Investment Information & Credit Rating Agency of India Ltd., in his presidential remarks said India had to become an integral part of the global economy. He warned that 'economic invasion' has made it imperative that the country understand ' the theory of survival of the fittest' as "we can no longer live in an isolated world." Prof S.L. Gupta, Chairman and Director of the seminar, Department of Management, in his welcome address said the Department of Company Affairs had advocated setting up of a separate authority to deal with mergers, demergers and corporate restructuring in order to expedite approvals and oversee acquisitions. He maintained that the code of corporate governance was being rewritten by the sudden spate of acquisitions and the expectations of shareholders of merged entities were growing posing a major challenge to modern managers. He cautioned that
technology oriented mergers might lead to creation of
capital intensive industrial giants killing
labour-intensive industries which were of significance to
over populated countries like India. |
Shanta defends Constitution
review AMBALA, March 11 — The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Mr Shanta Kumar, while defending Constitutional review, today said that all elections, from Parliament to panchayat, must be held after a fixed term. Talking to newspersons, Mr Kumar said, "The time has come to re-think on our political system. Today, loktantra is chunavtantra. Elections are crucial for democracy, but now elections are taking place everywhere, ranging from the Lok Sabha to the Vidhan Sabha and also the panchayats," he said. "Elections involve an expenditure of crore of rupees. We must try to bring about a change in the system and a constitutional review is the need of the hour," he said. Mr Kumar said that more than 32 crore people are living below the poverty line and there is non-availability of potable drinking water for most of them. "We must bring fundamental and revolutionary changes in our system. Holding elections after a fixed term will be a change for the better," he said. The Union Minister said that after elections are held, the government must be given an opportunity for development and undertaking measures for ensuring progress. On the Public Distribution System, Mr Kumar said that new decisions have been taken in the budget keeping in mind various factors. "There are three things. The first is the need to lessen subsidy burden for improving financial condition. The second is to help those below the poverty line and the third is to make an effective utilisation of the foodgrains stocked in godowns," he said. Mr Kumar said there was a proposal to actively associate the panchayat and local bodies with the disbursement of rations. "We are also going to make mandatory provisions for ration shops. The effort is stop pilferage and improve the quality. We are also thinking about increasing the number of items in the ration shops and consider the revision of the commission paid to the ration shop owner," he said. He said that now one family could get 20 kg per month instead of 10 kg. "The rate has been increased by 68 per cent while the quantity has been increased by 100 per cent. The subsidy to those below the poverty line is now Rs 7600 crore. This clearly shows that our decision was pro-poor," Mr Kumar said. Mr Kumar observed that while the minimum support price has been increased seven times in the past 10 years, the issue price, however, has not increased. "In 1996, there was a proposal for Targeted Public Distribution System. But it was never implemented. Now, those below the poverty line are the target," he said. "The PDS system is the largest system in the country with more than 4,55,000 ration shops. There is a need to restructure and further strengthen this system," he said. Earlier, while addressing students at the 83rd annual prize distribution function of SD College, Ambala cantonment, he said the purpose of education was not to obtain degrees but inculcate the inner qualities of the head and heart thereby enabling us to create a healthy society and nation. He expressed his disappointment with the working of the system and said that due to the wrong and self-interest policies of the previous government during the past 50 years, the country had lost the feeling of devotion and sense of sacrifice which people of this country had. He distributed 370
prizes to the students of the college. These include 260
academic, 15 NCC, 12 NSS, 44 sports and 39 cultural
prizes. |
Not wearing a helmet turns
into an issue AMBALA, March 11 — All is not well between civilians and the Army authorities in the Ambala cantonment area. Not wearing a helmet by a civilian pillion rider has turned into an issue here with a member of the Cantonment Board alleging that he was manhandled by the military police personnel after he was flagged down for having a pillion rider without a helmet. Army officials maintain that wearing of helmets is compulsory within the cantonment area and traffic checking has been going on for quiet sometime. Cantonment Board member, Mr Prithvi Singh Tetarwal, claims that yesterday when he was going to office of the tehsildar at about 9 am, he was stopped by three CMP personnel of 2 Corps Provost Unit near crossing of Kharga Stadium as his son, Ramesh Kumar, who riding pillion was not wearing a helmet. "I told them that his helmet has been left at my office. On this they started abusing me and my son. They were shown all the documents with regard to the scooter and identification but they threw the documents in an insulting manner, manhandled me and humiliated me," a letter written by him to the area police states. "Mr Umesh Sawhney, an elected member of the Cantonment Board, Ambala, and two other persons, Mr Amar Nath Kashyap, resident of Topekhana Bazar and Mr Manohar Lal, working in the office of Additional Deputy Commissioner, Ambala, who were passing by, tried to intervene in the altercation but the CMP personnel in their presence snatched my mobile phone when I tried to contact Brig Satnam Singh, who is the President of the Cantonment Board," the letter states". "I was detained for more than three and a half hours and was treated like a criminal and ultimately was produced before Col S Mishra, Adm Comdt at about 12.30 p.m. Col Mishra who is also the member of the Cantonment Board also did not pay any heed and started delivering lecture. On asking for three hours illegal detention from Col Mishra, he persuaded me to leave the matter and never wanted to initiate action against the CMP personnel. All the documents including the mobile phone were returned to me by CMP personnel in the compound of Station HQ," the letter alleges. The letter further states "this illegal detention, wrongful confinement, humiliation, defamation and mental harassment was caused by the illegal action of the said CMP personnel for no fault of mine." When contacted by the The Tribune, President of the Cantonment Board, Brig Satnam Singh said "this particular incident has not been brought to my notice. I would like to point out that wearing of helmet is for the good and safety of the two-wheeler drivers and the pillion riders. The wearing of helmets is meant for their benefit." "We have been educating people regarding wearing of helmet and other traffic rules. There have been accidents earlier due to rash and negligent driving. These traffic rules are meant for the safety of the drivers. The Cantonment Board has been time to time undertaking traffic management," Brig Singh said. Brig Satnam Singh said
that Mr Tetarwal who has alleged that he was manhandled
by the CMP over the non-wearing of helmet by the pillion
rider should have been more responsible as he himself is
a Cantonment Board member which makes the traffic
management rules. |
CS clarifies on jaundice
cases GURGAON, March 11 — Despite measures taken by the authorities to bring the outbreak of the jaundice under control in some parts of the city, one more patient was found to be infected with the virus today at the district general hospital. Senior members of the Health Department held a meeting today to take stock of the situation. The Civil Surgeon and the district medical chief, Dr N. Jain clarified that the actual figure of patients reported at the district hospital was 61. According to him the number of the water samples tested since February 14 was 221. However, inquiries revealed that the exact number of patients reported at the district hospital till yesterday was 75. Significantly, the number in the corresponding period, last year, was 30. Moreover, the private practitioners clinics and private hospitals appear to have become conscious following the uproar in the city on the outbreak of the epidemic. They evade to give the exact number of patients who visited them. It appears that they have come under pressure from governmental quarters on the issue. The occurrence of the disease has further exposed the Health Department in discharging its basic duty of regulating the sale of certain categories of eatables having high potential of spreading the virus. A number of vendors are found selling candies, drinks, fruits and other eatables with impunity. A visit to any butcher shop will reveal that the goods are sold without proper tests. An officer of the Health Department said it was the duty of the authorities of the municipal council to check this. Inquires reveal that the local health authorities take action, only when the district or the city faces a crisis. Another problem, which has been agitating residents, is the quality of milk supplied by milkmen. The Health Department said they had checked samples of the milk but the residents take this version with a pinch of salt. There were reports that a large number of milkmen supply adulterated milk. There were many who felt that the number of milch cattle had declined in the past few years in the entire district. Still, there was never a shortage of milk in the city. A salient feature of the milkmen is that they quote different rates. In the same colony the same milkman sells varying standards of milk at different rates. The residents, however do not know the mechanism to verify the difference in the quality of the milk sold to them. A member of the district
administration said a number of posts of food inspector
at the office of the health officer were lying vacant in
the Health Department for quite a long time. One reason
for the lack of surprise checks on the quality of goods
and drinks sold in this fast expanding city could be the
shortage in the manpower in the Health Department. The
other could be the insensitivity of the authorities
concerned. |
10 zila parishad members
elected KAITHAL, March 11 — About 1, 536 panches, 41 sarpanches, 39 panchayat-samiti members and 10 zila parishad members have been elected unanimously. The Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Electoral Officer, Dr Mahavir Singh, said of the 17 wards for Kaithal zila parishad 10 had been unanimously elected and elections would take place for the remaining seven wards. Similarly, for Kaithal panchayat samiti of the 30 wards 14 had been unanimously elected and elections to the remaining 16 would be held. In Pundri panchayat samiti, of the 29 wards five were elected unanimously. Nominations for three wards had been filed and elections to the remaining 21 would be held. In Guhla panchayat samiti, of the 27 wards elections to 15 will be held as 12 had been elected unanimously. For Rajound panchayat samiti five of the 21 wards were elected unanimously. Similarly, in Kalayat panchayat samiti three of the 18 were elected unanimously. No nomination was filed for one ward and elections to the remaining 14 would be held. He further said for 253 panchayats, 41 sarpanches were elected unanimously and elections to the remaining 212 posts of sarpanches would take place, of which 58 are in Guhla, 59 in Kaithal, 43 in Pundri, 25 in Kalayat and 27 in Rajound. He added that of 2,518 panches in five blocks 1,536 were elected unanimously. Dr Mahavir Singh has
also promulgated prohibitory orders in front of the
examination centres within a radius of 200 m under
Sections 144, CrPC. The orders will remain in force till
April1. |
Exam centres shifted SONEPAT, March 11 — Five students are reported to have taken away the answer sheets from the examination centre opened in Government Senior Secondary School at Sisana village. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal, told mediapersons here today that the Superintendent of the centre had lodged an FIR with the Kharkhauda police station against them and the police had launched a hunt to arrest them. This centre, he said, was immediately shifted to some other school. He said the other examination centres which had become the centre of outside interference and mass copying by the students had been shifted were Arya Senior Secondary School, Gohana, Government Senior Secondary School, Jagsi village; Government High School, Mahmoodpur village; Government Senior Secondary School, Chidana; Government Senior Secondary School, Ganaur; Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Gohana; Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Bidhal village; Government Senior Secondary School, Bhawar; Government Senior Secondary School, Dhanana village; Government Senior Secondary School, Kathura; Government High School, Kathura; and Gurukul Bhainswal, Kalan village. According to the Deputy Commissioner, members of the flying squads had checked 93 centre and found outside interference in 13 centres. Meanwhile, members of
the flying squad, headed by Mr Dharampal, caught four
students while they were engaged in copying at centre of
JP Jain Senior Secondary School here yesterday. |
Haryana EC clarifies CHANDIGARH, March 11 — The Haryana State Election Commission today clarified that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had not ruled on March 10 that the voters, who had cast their votes for the Assembly elections held on February 22, had been allowed to cast their votes in the elections to the panchayati raj institutions, as erroneously reported in certain newspapers. Mr M.S. Verma, Secretary of the State Election Commission, said the high court had passed orders on certain writ petitions heard on March 10 that the petitioners only were permitted to cast their votes in the elections to the panchayati raj institutions, if their names had been included in the electoral rolls on the basis of which the Assembly elections were held on February 22. Mr Verma further added
that the high court had also ordered that panchayat
voters’ lists, prepared for panchayat elections held
in 1994, would be the basis for apportionment to
ascertain as to which ward the petitioner belonged. |
37 sarpanches elected REWARI, March 11 — As many as 37 sarpanches and 270 panches of this district have been elected unanimously, according to the Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Returning Officer (Panchayats). The DC said of the 37 panchayats, 14 gram panchayats were in the Rewari block; nine panchayats in the Bawal block; seven panchayats in the Jatusana block; six panchayats in the Khal block; and one panchayat in the Nahar block. However, in panchayat samiti elections nine candidates have been elected unanimously. They are Kamla from Ward No 14; Angoori Devi from Ward No 16; Mr Vipin Kumar from Ward No 26; Santara from Ward No 25; Mr Kalua Ram from Ward No 26 of Rewari block; Mr Banarasi from Ward No 1; Kamlesh from Ward No 4 of Khol block, Savita from Ward No 3; and Mr Dharamchand from Ward No 9 of Jatusana block samiti. Now 379 candidates have been left in the fray in the district. Kamla is the only
councillor of the Zila Parishad who has been elected
unanimously from Ward No 7. Now 86 candidates have been
left in the fray for 12 wards of the parishad. |
Carrying of arms banned CHANDIGARH, March 11 — The Haryana Government has banned the carrying of arms till April 7 in view of the forthcoming panchayat, municipal committee, municipal corporation elections. People have been asked to deposit their arms with the government before March 12. The government has also authorised all Executive Magistrates and police officers in the rank of SHO and above to make searches and seize arms. The government has declared March 10 to 12 as dry days in the areas where gram panchayat elections are scheduled to be held on March 12. Similarly, March 14 to 16 have been declared dry days in the areas where these elections are to be held on March 16. A spokesman of the
Haryana Prohibition, Excise and Taxation Department said
that March 17, the day of counting, would also be a dry
day. |
Two students missing SONEPAT, March 11 — The Rai police has launched a hunt for Sandeep Chahel and Rakesh Ranjan, both students of Class VIII, who have been missing from the Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, since March 7. Mr Ranbir Singh Chahel, father of Sandeep, has lodged a complaint with the police. He raises doubts about the mysterious disappearance of his son from the institute. The other student belonged to Bihar and his parents have been informed about his disappearance. Meanwhile, the Diploma Veterinary Association, Haryana, today expressed its concern over the disappearance of students from the institute and alleged that the parents were not informed about the expulsion and disappearance of their wards by the school authorities. In a memorandum sent to
the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal, demanded an
inquiry into the incident. |
1 killed, 2 hurt by
robbers ROHTAK, March 11 — One person was killed and two members of his family were injured when a gang of robbers attacked them in their house last night in a posh locality of Bahadurgarh. According to police sources, Dhan Singh, the head of the family, succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. He was attacked with some crude weapons by the robbers who had come to loot the house in Sector 6 of HUDA Colony. It is reported that the accused also attacked other members of family, including Murti Devi, wife of Dhan Singh and Anita, wife of Ramesh. After injuring them, the culprits reportedly decamped away with some cash and valuables. The police has
registered a case in this connection. |
21 undertrials released HISAR, March 11 — Twentyone undertrials in Central Jail here were released by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, who held his court inside jail today. On the direction of the Supreme Court, the Chief Judicial Magistrate have been holding regular court in jails to provide instant relief to the undertrials involved in petty crimes. After confessing to their crimes, they were sentenced to imprisonment for the period of their custody in jail and then released. In a similar court 18
undertrials were released last month also. |
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