H A R Y A N A

Misbehaviour by SDO alleged
CHANDIGARH, July 15 — The Deputy Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, has threatened to move a breach of privilege motion against an SDO of the Haryana Urban Development Authority for allegedly misbehaving with him here today.

Police fails to trace missing blind leader
AMBALA, July 15 — It’s now been a year that a young blind leader has gone missing and the police is yet to achieve any breakthrough in the case.

Robber killed in encounter
FARIDABAD, July 15 — The police today shot a robber in an encounter on the outskirts of the city after he and three of his accomplices looted Rs 9 lakh from two traders.

Class X student killed by friend
FATEHABAD, July 15 — A teenaged boy allegedly murdered a class X student after a minor scuffle and threw his body into a canal. The police today recovered the body and booked the suspect.

Rs 291 lakh power bill arrears recouped
KURUKSHETRA, July 15 — A large number of farmers have benefited from the Surcharge Waiver Scheme introduced by the Haryana Government in March, 2000.

Yet another daylight theft
YAMUNANAGAR, July 15 — Another broad daylight theft occurred in this district today.

Family welfare plan drafted
CHANDIGARH, July 15 — The Haryana Government has prepared a Family Welfare Action Plan based on the national population policy 2000 to bring the total fertility rate to 2.1 by 2010 and stabilise the population in the State by 2045.

Mahra drain cleaned to prevent floods
SONEPAT, July 15 — The Rai Water Service Division in the Irrigation Department has completed cleaning of Mahra drain which starts from Kailana village and passes through of Purkhas, Sitawali, Dabarpur, Mahra and Bhatana Zaffarabad villages before ending at Tharu Uldepur village.

Shifting of school board office denied
BHIWANI, July 15 — Mr Sher Singh Rori, Chairman, Board of School Education Haryana, has denied the news "Office of the Board of School Education Haryana has been shifted to Sirsa" published in a section of press. He has termed it false, non-factual and published with a view to tarnishing the board’s image.

More Central funds for Haryana
ROHTAK, July 15 — The Centre has reportedly decided to give more funds to Haryana for the creation of rural infrastructure and launching of poverty alleviation programmes.

Cong against new tribunal on SYL issue
ROHTAK, July 15 — The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee is against the setting up of any new tribunal for solving the long-standing problem of the completion of the Satluj-Yamuna link canal.

Governor opens solar showroom
GURGAON, July 15 — The Governor of Haryana, Babu Parmanand, inaugurated the state’s first solar showroom, funded by the Union Minister of Non-conventional Energy Sources, here today.

INLD meeting at Kurukshetra
ROHTAK, July 15 — Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has reportedly convened a meeting of state executive committee of the party at Kurukshetra on July 16.

Car-borne youths go on firing spree
HISAR, July 15  — Four unidentified car-borne miscreants went on a firing spree here last night making the people run for their lives and forcing traders to down their shutters in panic.

Mahant’s gunman shoots himself
ROHTAK, July 15 — A gunman of the Mahant of Gurdwara Tikana Sahib reportedly, committed suicide this morning by shooting himself with his service gun.

Irate villagers block traffic
FARIDABAD, July 15 — Angry residents of Keli village in Ballabhgarh Tehsil yesterday blocked traffic on the Delhi-Mathura highway for more than six hours to protest against death of a jeep driver in a road accident.

Blocking of drain leads to tension
REWARI, July 15 — A dispute between members of two communities in Naya Gaon village, 30 km from here, led to a quarrel followed by clamping of prohibitory orders under Section 144.

Blocking roads an offence: IG
SONEPAT, July 15 — The police will launch criminal proceedings against those blocking of traffic along national and state highways in the state.

Misbehaviour by SDO alleged
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 15 — The Deputy Leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party, Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, has threatened to move a breach of privilege motion against an SDO of the Haryana Urban Development Authority for allegedly misbehaving with him here today.

Captain Yadav alleged that the SDO, who ostensibly came to remove encroachments outside his house (1310, Sector 15, Panchkula) was under the influence of liquor and misbehaved with him and his family. The Congress leader said there were no encroachments outside his house in the shape of iron grills.

Alleging that the SDO used unprintable language against the legislators as a class, Captain Yadav said he brought the matter in the notice of the Chief Administrator, HUDA, Mr N.C. Wadhwa, who wanted to talk to the engineer on the telephone. But the engineer was curt enough to refuse to talk to even his senior.

He said he had also brought the officer’s conduct to the notice of the Town and Country Planning Minister, Mr Dhir Pal, who assured him of disciplinary action against the SDO.

Captain Yadav said a police party was accompanying the SDO. But the policemen left the place when he asked them to take the SDO for a medical examination.

Police fails to trace missing blind leader
From Rahul Das
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, July 15 — It’s now been a year that a young blind leader has gone missing and the police is yet to achieve any breakthrough in the case.

On the night of July 19 last year, Haryana Netrahin Jagriti Sangh President and local college student Sanjay Kumar Lamba had gone missing and there have been no clues to his whereabouts since then.

Superintendent of Police N S Virk said a special task force has been formed to find Sanjay but nothing concrete has come up from the investigations.

Sanjay Lamba, a BA third year student at SD College, was a promising leader for the blind. “Sanjay was not one of those who could be coerced or anybody could force his will on him. He was an independent thinking individual. It is now going to be a year, but the police is yet to find him,” a student at SD Blind School in Ambala Cantonment said.

An accomplished chess player, Sanjay was at the SD Blind School hostel on the night of July 19, 1999. “The students ate food at about 9 p.m. that night and then as there was a drizzle, the students went to their rooms,” the students at the hostel said.

At about 10 p.m., Sanjay along with another partially-sighted student went to a cigarette kiosk near Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantonment. “On the way back, he met the person for whom he had brought cigarettes. Then, except for Sanjay, the others went inside to their rooms,” they said.

That was the last time students saw Sanjay. On July 27, an FIR was lodged and on August 5, investigations were handed over to the CIA staff. Seven persons were questioned but no clues emerged.

Teams even went to as far as Lucknow, Ayodhya, Bijnore and Najibabad in search of Sanjay as there was possibility that he could have gone off to some ashram. However, that exercise led only to a dead end.

The Haryana Netrahin Jagriti Sangh is going to observe July 19 as a black day and will wear black badges and armbands throughout the day all over the state to protest against the inability of the police to find Sanjay.

A demonstration will also be held at Chandigarh in which besides the members of Haryana Netrahin Jagriti Sangh, other organisations working in the field for blind will also take part.

According to the President of the Haryana Sports and Chess Association for the blind, Mr Krishan Kumar, Sanjay used to take keen interest in chess.

“Sanjay played at the zonal level in February 1999 at Panipat. He was in the first 20. Then he was selected for the national chess tournament for the blind at Mumbai in June 1999,” he said.

Robber killed in encounter
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, July 15 — The police today shot a robber in an encounter on the outskirts of the city after he and three of his accomplices looted Rs 9 lakh from two traders.

The deceased has been identified as Bablu of Gandhi Nagar, Delhi. The others are Arshad of Saharanpur, Devinder, the gang leader of NIT, Faridabad and Rajesh of Najafgarh in Delhi. Arshad who was seriously injured in the encounter has been referred to Safdarjang Hospital in Delhi.

All of them have been arrested and Rs 9 lakh recovered from their possession. A country-made pistol, cartridges, a knife and three mobile phones have been seized from them.

Mr Ranbir Sharma, SP said Tarun and Satish, both traders had withdrawn Rs 9 lakh from the Oriental Bank of Commerce to deposit it in the State Bank of Patiala in Sector 11. When they reached the bank, the accused waylaid them and snatched two bags containing the cash. They were in a Maruti Zen car which had been stolen from Delhi.

Satish informed the police control room which alerted all police vehicles in the city. The police chased the accused till Budhia nullah where they broke a police barricade. The accused jumped into the nullah and started firing, forcing police to fire back.

In the exchange of fire, Bablu was killed and Arshad seriously injured. The other two were overpowered.

Class X student killed by friend
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, July 15 — A teenaged boy allegedly murdered a class X student after a minor scuffle and threw his body into a canal. The police today recovered the body and booked the suspect.

According to reports, Vivek, a class X student of the local Bal Bharati School had been missing since yesterday evening. Before leaving school at about 4.30 p.m. yesterday, he told his friend Raju that he was going to the residence of another friend, Manoj. At Manoj’s residence in Aggarwal Colony, the two saw television for some time and later a scuffle took place between them. For some reason, Manoj reportedly gave several blows to Vivek and the latter fell unconscious. Taking Vivek for dead, Manoj took his body to the Bhodia minor canal and threw it into the canal. Manoj’s parents were away at the time of the incident.

As the night approached, Vivek’s parents started searching for him. Manoj, his parents and Raju also joined them. The search went on till late at night. In the meantime, some neighbours of Manoj revealed that they saw Manoj carrying something on his cycle. Manoj and his father tried to make excuses but could not hide the facts for long.

Today morning, some persons saw the body in the canal and informed the police. The police has recovered the body and registered a case under Section 302 and 201 of the IPC.

According to the police, Manoj and Vivek had a minor scuffle while playing cricket 10 days earlier and this had probably led to the crime.

Rs 291 lakh power bill arrears recouped
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, July 15 — A large number of farmers have benefited from the Surcharge Waiver Scheme introduced by the Haryana Government in March, 2000.

There were 44 villages in this district, visited by Mrs Jyoti Arora, Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra, Mr Desraj Singh, Superintendent of Police, Kurukshetra and Mr A.P. Gupta, Superintending Engineer Electricity, Operation Circle, Kurukshetra and the farmers were persuaded to deposit the arrears till the scheduled date. Consequently, recovery of Rs 291 lakh from the rural consumers was made and surcharge of Rs 98 lakh was waived up to June, 18.

Mr A.P. Gupta said since a number of farmers could not avail the benefit of above scheme due to some reasons, the state government had announced a new scheme for the waiver of surcharge for the rural consumers.

As per the new scheme, a domestic consumer who defaults, can deposit the principal amount in four bi-monthly equal instalments whereas a consumer using a tubewell can deposit in four quarterly equal instalment. However, latter will have to deposit 25 per cent of the surcharge amount with the first instalments and they will also have to deposit the amount of current bill regularly. When the last instalment is deposited, the balance 75 per cent surcharge will be waived.

This scheme will remain in force up to July 31, 2000. A person violating the provisions of the scheme, will not be able to avail the benefit of the Surcharge Waiver Scheme. At the same time if a person wants to deposit the total principal amount in one instalment up to July 31, then whole of the surcharge amount will be waived immediately.

Yet another daylight theft
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, July 15 — Another broad daylight theft occurred in this district today.

When Mr Lachchi Ram and his wife Saroj, both teachers in a government school, returned from work, they found their house at Gurunanakpura, Jagadhri, had been ransacked.

It is learnt that the maid servant had left the house after finishing work at around 11 a.m.

Ms Yashodha, their next door neighbour, said she had seen a youth moving around the house at around 12 p.m. She immediately informed other neighbours but the youth had fled on a cycle after stealing the articles.

The owner of the house reached the house at 1 p.m. and found 70 tolas of gold jewellery and Rs 35,000 missing.

Mrs Saroj said her son, settled in Nepal, had got married last year and the jewellery belonged to her daughter-in-law.

It was the second theft in the past four days in this district. A case has been registered.

Family welfare plan drafted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 15 — The Haryana Government has prepared a Family Welfare Action Plan based on the national population policy 2000 to bring the total fertility rate to 2.1 by 2010 and stabilise the population in the State by 2045.

The Government today also announced the constitution of a state commission on population on the pattern of the National Commission on Population under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

An official spokesman said here today that the action plan had some immediate as well as medium and long-term objectives. Some socio-demographic goals, including reduction in dropouts at the primary and secondary levels to below 20 per cent, mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births and maternal mortality rate to below 100 per one lakh live births, would be achieved by 2010. The plan also aims at achieving universal immunisation, promote delayed marriage among girls (preferably after 20 years of age), 80 per cent institutional deliveries and 100 per cent by trained persons.

The operational strategy of the plan would focus at the village level where two types of self-help groups would be set up. One group would consist of male primary health worker, practitioner India system of medicine, retired school teacher, ex-defence personnel and male panch or sarpanch.

The second group would consist of female primary health worker, anganwari workers, trained birth attendants and female practitioners of Indian system of medicine, including women panch and sarpanch.

The plan also lays stress on empowerment of women for improved health and nutrition and job opportunities.

The population commission, which would meet at least twice a year, would review, monitor and give directions for the implementation of the State Population Policy, promote synergy between demographic educational, environmental and developmental programmes so as to hasten population stabilisation.

The Health and Family Welfare Minister, Mr M.L. Ranga, will be the Vice-Chairman of the Commission.

The other members of the Commission are Speaker, Haryana Vidhan Sabha; Haryana Ministers of Finance, Education, Labour, Industries, PWD B&R and Public Health, Social Welfare, Agriculture, Transport and Local Self Government; and Leader of Opposition in Haryana Vidhan Sabha; Chief Parliamentary Secretary; Vice Chancellor of Kurukshetra University; Presidents of CII, Haryana State IMA, FPAI and SWACH Foundation; Dr Sunder Lal, Pro SPM Department, Medical College, Rohtak; Dr Rajesh Kumar, Head Community Health Department; and Dr Sarla Gopalan, Prof and Head of Gynae and Obst PGI, Chandigarh; and the Honorary Secretary, Haryana Red Cross.

The other permanent invitees to the commission are Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Secretaries of Finance, Education, Labour, Social Welfare, Transport, PWD (B&R), Public Health, Agriculture and Local Self Government.

The Commissioner and Secretary, Health would be its member secretary.

Mahra drain cleaned to prevent floods
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, July 15 — The Rai Water Service Division in the Irrigation Department has completed cleaning of Mahra drain which starts from Kailana village and passes through of Purkhas, Sitawali, Dabarpur, Mahra and Bhatana Zaffarabad villages before ending at Tharu Uldepur village.

According to official sources, this step has been taken to prevent the flood waters of this drain from spilling embankments and inundating village roads and streets.

This drain has also been extended by 1,500 feet from Tharu Uldepur village to the pond and it is called Mahra drain (extension). Its construction was completed within the period stipulated by the department.

This drain, last year inundated thousands of acres of farm land in the above said villages and caused huge loss of property to farmers. The spill-over flood waters had also entered houses and submerged many roads and village streets.

The state government has allocated special funds for the cleaning of this drain to make it carry more flood waters.

Meanwhile, the Sonepat Water Service Division has strengthened all stone studs at Bega complex to divert the flow of the Yamuna river advancing menacingly towards the Haryana side. A number of labourers have been put on the job and they have been working round the clock for desilting and deweeding of canals of this division.

The authorities of the division are also making efforts to ensure supply of canal water to tail-end villages in rotation period of the running canals. They also claimed that they had not received any complaint about non-receipt of canal water at the tail-end fields of farmers.

Shifting of school board office denied
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, July 15 — Mr Sher Singh Rori, Chairman, Board of School Education Haryana, has denied the news "Office of the Board of School Education Haryana has been shifted to Sirsa" published in a section of press. He has termed it false, non-factual and published with a view to tarnishing the board’s image.

In a press statement issued here yesterday, Mr Sher Singh said that the news had been published to create confusion regarding the board and was motivated by vested interests. He clarified that the truth was that neither the board head office or the office of the chairman was shifted to Rori (Sirsa). These offices continued to function at Bhiwani, he added.

He said that day-to-day working of the board was not hit as stated in the news, since he would discharge his duties mostly from Bhiwani.

The chairman said that in a letter written to the Chief Minister Haryana, he had accepted the fact that to ensure smooth working of the board and to streamline its working he would have to stay at Bhiwani however, to keep contact with his area and residence, he had requested to open camp office at Rori. He said that he had also written that he would not accept TA/DA for coming to Bhiwani from Rori and vice-versa.

The chairman also denied the news that crores of rupees would be spent on opening the camp office. He said that being the chairman of the board he was committed to the progress of the institution and he was aware that no financial burden was put on the board.

More Central funds for Haryana
From Jatinder Sharma

ROHTAK, July 15 — The Centre has reportedly decided to give more funds to Haryana for the creation of rural infrastructure and launching of poverty alleviation programmes.

The Special Secretary and Director, Rural Development, Mr S.S. Prasad, said some need-based and area-based projects had also been formulated by the state government for the uplift of rural areas.

He said the Centre has allocated additional funds to the tune of Rs 18.84 crore in appreciation of the achievements of various poverty alleviation and employment programmes in Haryana during the last financial year. These funds were in addition to the allocations made by the Centre during 1999-2000.

He disclosed that the state government had launched a scheme called rural connectivity under the national rural roads programme during the current financial year. Under the scheme, the construction of new roads and upgradation of the existing roads would be taken up.

With a view to speeding development in the rural areas, the government had decided to involve Divisional Commissioners in the implementation and monitoring of rural development schemes. The Divisional Commissioners had been nominated as "area officers" in this regard.

Cong against new tribunal on SYL issue
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, July 15 — The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee is against the setting up of any new tribunal for solving the long-standing problem of the completion of the Satluj-Yamuna link canal (SYL).

Stating this at the Press Club, here today, the president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said now the issue before the state was to get the recommendations of earlier tribunals implemented without any delay.

He said the proposals of the Rajiv-Longowal Accord was broadly acceptable to both states and the Haryana Government should put pressures on the Union Government and Punjab to solve the issue.

He said farmers of Haryana, especially southern districts, had been denied their share of water for so many years and successive governments in Haryana and failed to do any thing about it.

Criticising the present attitude of the Chautala government, the Congress leader said despite repeated requests, the Chief Minister had not convened any "all-party meeting" on the matter.

He charged the BJP with being equally responsible for the sorry state of affairs on various fronts. He said the power situation was bleak and people were feeling "cheated" as new taxes had been imposed on them.

He announced that the Congress would not let the Haryana Government present the Budget in the Assembly next year if its style of functioning remained the same.

Irate villagers block traffic
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, July 15 — Angry residents of Keli village in Ballabhgarh Tehsil yesterday blocked traffic on the Delhi-Mathura highway for more than six hours to protest against death of a jeep driver in a road accident.

According to reports, that a traffic Sub-Inspector had forcibly taken the jeep of Rajbir for checking on the national highway. While they were trying to stop a vehicle it hit the jeep killing Rajbir.

When the report of the accident reached the village hundreds of people converged on the national highway demanding action against the traffic Sub-Inspector and compensation to the family of Rajbir, senior officials from Faridabad rushed to Keli and persuaded the people to lift the blockade after assuring action against the Sub-Inspector.

Blocking of drain leads to tension
From Our Correspondent

REWARI, July 15 — A dispute between members of two communities in Naya Gaon village, 30 km from here, led to a quarrel followed by clamping of prohibitory orders under Section 144.

The dispute arose over blocking of a rainwater drain by Jats to prevent flooding of low-lying areas of their locality. This led to water accumulating before the houses of the Ahir community, provoking them to also obstruct the flow of water, sparking tension between the two communities.

Timely action by the police prevented violence. The police later removed the obstructions. Cases were registered against seven persons though no arrests have been made.

Blocking roads an offence: IG
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, July 15 — The police will launch criminal proceedings against those blocking of traffic along national and state highways in the state.

Stating this, Mr Resham Singh, Inspector General of Police, Rohtak range said here yesterday that he had already directed all the station house officers of police stations to register cases against those found guilty of the violating traffic rules. Press cells would be set up at all the district headquarters to better relations between the police and the mediapersons.