H A R Y A N A

Canal money leaks into staff pockets
SONEPAT, Oct 14 — The maintenance of canals, distributaries and minors continues to be a major problem despite heavy expenditure incurred on them by the Water Service Division of Gohana in this district.

Probe ordered against doctor
FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anand Mohan Sharan, has asked the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Dr G. Anupama, to conduct an inquiry into the allegations made against a doctor of Bhadshah Khan Government Hospital here for demanding money for issuing a medical certificate.

Haryana raises income limit of dependants
FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — The Haryana Government has raised the monthly income limit from Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000, for employing the dependants of the deceased government employees, under the ex gratia scheme.

FCI union seeks foodgrain disposal
HISAR, Oct 14 — The Food Corporation of India Executive Staff Union has demanded early disposal of foodgrains stored in FCI godowns.

Beopar cell calls govt anti-trader
FATEHABAD, Oct 14 — Mr Dharam Paul Gupta, state president of the Beopar cell of the Haryana Vikas Party, has termed the state government as anti-trader and anti-farmer.

Teachers get stranded at Ambala
AMBALA, Oct 14 — Thousands of government primary school teachers of different states who arrived at the railway station here early today, remained stranded for several hours. There was no proper conveyance to take them to Anandpur Sahib to attend the three-day All-India Government Primary School Teachers Conference that began there today.

Gang of thieves busted, 4 held
ROHTAK, Oct 14 — With the arrest of four persons, the district police today claimed to have busted a gang allegedly involved in vehicle thefts and robberies in Haryana and Delhi.

2 killed, 4 injured in Faridabad
FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — Two persons were killed and four others injured in separate incidents in the town in the past 24 hours.

Jilted lover kills girl, self
ROHTAK, Oct 14 — A jilted lover committed suicide by consuming poison after stabbing his beloved to death at Chhudani village in Jhajjar district today.

Mass marriages
SHAHABAD, Oct 14 — Marriages of 13 girls belonging to poor families, a majority of them being from the Scheduled Castes, were solemnised in Markandeshwar Temple by the Markandeshwar Mandir Sabha, here yesterday.

Jawan cremated with honours
FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — Devender Singh Bhati (21), a jawan of the 14 Grenadiers Regiment, who died in an encounter with terrorists at Drass sector on Wednesday night was cremated with full military honours at his native village, Korali, here this morning.

Brick-kiln owners to delay operations
YAMUNANAGAR, Oct 14 — Brick-kiln owners have decided to intensify their agitation because of the dilly-dallying attitude of the Haryana Pollution Control Board.

Canal money leaks into staff pockets
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 14 — The maintenance of canals, distributaries and minors continues to be a major problem despite heavy expenditure incurred on them by the Water Service Division of Gohana in this district.

According to informed sources, though the state government has made available lakhs of rupees to this division for cleaning operations, the position has hardly improved and tail-end fields continue to remain dry.

According to many farmers, the water courses of various canals, distributaries and minors are facing a problem of siltage, resulting in back watering and waterlogging of low-lying tracts. They alleged that many officials of the Water Service Division were minting money by preparing bogus muster rolls.

Representatives of various farmers organisations today urged the state government to appoint a high ranking officer to inquire into the “scandal”.

They claimed that as much as 60 per cent of the total expenditure was being misappropriated by certain officials. Many of the works executed by the officials remain only on paper.

Meanwhile, enquiries made by this correspondent have revealed that though the state government, has appointed an SDO (Vigilance) to supervise the works relating to the maintenance of the canal network and also to check ongoing works, he has failed to check malpractices.

Probe ordered against doctor
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anand Mohan Sharan, has asked the Additional Deputy Commissioner, (ADC), Dr G. Anupama, to conduct an inquiry into the allegations made against a doctor of Bhadshah Khan Government Hospital here for demanding money for issuing a medical certificate.

The order was issued at the monthly meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievances Committee held here today under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner. As many as 12 complaints were disposed of at the meeting today.

A serious view was taken of the demand for money by the doctor from the parents of Meenakshi of Malerna village for issuing a physical handicap certificate. The victim had been injured in an accident on January 10 in 1998. Mr Dalchand, father of the girl alleged that the doctor concerned allegedly demanded Rs 5,000 for issuing the certificate, which he said he was not in a position to pay.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) also submitted a report at the meeting about this episode, saying the doctor had been removed from the panel which issued the certificates.

The Deputy Commissioner has asked the ADC to inquire into matter and submit a report at the next meeting.

The meeting also found that one of the complaints filed by Man Singh, president of the so-called Lok Manch, Faridabad, regarding, encroachment of public land was false. The Joint Commissioner of Old Faridabad, Ms Sunita Verma, conducted an inquiry and found that Man Singh on whose name the complaint was filed had died about 10 years ago.

Complaints regarding criminal and law and order matters could not be taken up as the district police chief could not attend the meeting.

Earlier the Deputy Commissioner held meetings of various departments.

Haryana raises income limit of dependants
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — The Haryana Government has raised the monthly income limit from Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000, for employing the dependants of the deceased government employees, under the ex gratia scheme.

According to a communication issued by the office of the Chief Secretary, the income limit of Rs 2,500 per month of the family of applicants from all sources, had been examined and the government had decided to raise the ceiling to Rs 6,000 with immediate effect.

However, the government has also decided not to reopen the cases settled under the old ceiling of Rs 2,500 per month. For calculating the monthly income of Rs 6,000 the family pension will be excluded and only regular income from all other sources will be taken into account. The income of the family of the deceased government employee will be taken into account and not just the income of the dependant, who has applied for a post on compassionate ground. 

FCI union seeks foodgrain disposal
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Oct 14 — The Food Corporation of India Executive Staff Union has demanded early disposal of foodgrains stored in FCI godowns.

Inaugurating a two-day annual zonal conference of the union here today, a senior union leader, Mr A.K. Sharma, said lakhs of tonnes of foodgrains had accumulated over the years in FCI godowns in Punjab and Haryana. The management had been harassing FCI employees for storage losses, he alleged. He also sought that the storage capacity of the FCI godowns in the region be enhanced immediately, adding that this was necessary as foodgrains could not be stored safely in open places.

Mr Vinod Kumar Verma, general secretary of the union, demanded revision of wages which, he said was due since 1997. 

Beopar cell calls govt anti-trader
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Oct 14 — Mr Dharam Paul Gupta, state president of the Beopar cell of the Haryana Vikas Party, has termed the state government as anti-trader and anti-farmer.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Gupta said eversince the INLD government came to power, traders were being harassed for trivial matters. He alleged an official of the market committee here, claiming to be an INLD man, had been terrorising the traders.

Mr Gupta nominated Mr Gurdeep Singh, a local trader, as state general secretary of the Beopar cell. He also appointed Mr Balwant Rai as district president of the cell. Mr Rai has been authorised to select his team.

Mr Pahlad Singh, state president of the youth wing of the HVP, said it was ironical that while the poor farmers were suffering at the hands of officials of government agencies, the Chief Minister who claimed to champion the cause of farmers, was on an excursion to Japan.

Teachers get stranded at Ambala
UNI

AMBALA, Oct 14 — Thousands of government primary school teachers of different states who arrived at the railway station here early today, remained stranded for several hours. There was no proper conveyance to take them to Anandpur Sahib to attend the three-day All-India Government Primary School Teachers Conference that began there today.

The teachers had come here from as far as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and the North Eastern states.

The teachers, who had arrived by night trains, said no arrangement had been made by the host state for their stopover at the station. They had been assured that there would be buses or other vehicles at the station to take them to Anandpur Sahib.

However, after a long wait, a convoy of Punjab Roadways buses arrived at the railway station around noon. Thereafter, the contingents boarded the buses to reach their destination. The contingents complained that no reception counter had been set up at the railway station for the delegates. However, drivers of the buses said they had not been asked to reach here early in the morning. Some of the organisers said they had put a blackboard on the platform with instructions written on it for the delegates.

The convention, which is to be held under the banner of the All-India Primary Teachers Federation, will focus on problems faced by primary school teachers of India. The federation leaders, including its head, Mr Eampal Singh (Uttar Pradesh) and its General-Secretary, Mr Ishwaran (Tamil Nadu), had already reached Anandpur Sahib. Delegates said the federation would press the government for introducing uniform pay scales for primary teachers in the country. The other items on the agenda included free education for their wards, ban on child labour and promotions for those who had put in more than ten years of service. 

Gang of thieves busted, 4 held
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 14 — With the arrest of four persons, the district police today claimed to have busted a gang allegedly involved in vehicle thefts and robberies in Haryana and Delhi.

Those arrested include Vikram, alias Vikki and Vijay of Partap Mohalla, Pankaj, alias Tani, of Shastri Nagar, Raju of Salara Mohalla and Bhaskar of Arjun Nagar here.

According to police sources, the suspects were arrested while they were planning to rob a petrol pump.

The police has recovered a country-made pistol, some live cartridges, a knife, a sword and an airgun from their possession. A case under Sections 379 and 402 of the IPC and Section 25/54/59 of the Arms Act. has been registered against the accused.

During the police interrogation, the accused confessed to have stolen four Maruti cars, a scooter and a motorcycle from Rohtak and Delhi. They have also reportedly admitted their involvement in looting a truck loaded with rice a robbery of Rs 2.5 lakh and a burglary of Rs 45,000 besides several other crimes in Karnal, Hisar and Delhi.

2 killed, 4 injured in Faridabad
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — Two persons were killed and four others injured in separate incidents in the town in the past 24 hours.

Sanjay, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, was crushed to death by a truck on the Delhi-Mathura road near old Faridabad town last evening.

In another incident, Ram Sanjivan of Sihi village died after he fell from the roof of his house. He was reportedly under the influence of liquor at the time of the incident. A case has been registered.

Meanwhile, four members of a family were injured at Kokiaka village yesterday when a LPG cylinder burst at their house.

Jilted lover kills girl, self
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 14 — A jilted lover committed suicide by consuming poison after stabbing his beloved to death at Chhudani village in Jhajjar district today.

According to information, Ajay (22), a Dalit youth of Chhudani, had proposed to a class XII Dalit girl of the same village.

The rejection of his proposal by the girl infuriated the boy, who stabbed her while she was on her way to school. The girl was taken to a hospital at Bahadurgarh, where she was declared brought dead.

Mass marriages
From Our Correspondent

SHAHABAD, Oct 14 — Marriages of 13 girls belonging to poor families, a majority of them being from the Scheduled Castes, were solemnised in Markandeshwar Temple by the Markandeshwar Mandir Sabha, here yesterday. Mr Tarsem Kumar Garg, Chairman of M.M. Engineering College, Mullana, was the chief guest. Household goods were also presented to the newly weds.

Jawan cremated with honours
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Oct 14 — Devender Singh Bhati (21), a jawan of the 14 Grenadiers Regiment, who died in an encounter with terrorists at Drass sector on Wednesday night was cremated with full military honours at his native village, Korali, here this morning.

Devender, son of a retired Havaldar, succumbed to injuries while being shifted to Military Hospital at Udhampur after he was injured in the encounter near the Line of Control. He was unmarried and had joined the Army about two years ago.

Mr Rajender Beesla, MLA from Ballabgarh, the Deputy Commissioner, the SSP, the SDM and the Secretary, Zila Sainik Board, were among others who attended the cremation. A large number of local residents paid tribute to the martyr.

Brick-kiln owners to delay operations
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Oct 14 — Brick-kiln owners have decided to intensify their agitation because of the dilly-dallying attitude of the Haryana Pollution Control Board.

Mr Ashwani Nanda, District President of the Brick-kiln Association and state-vice president of Brick Kiln Association said here yesterday that in an emergent meeting of brick kiln it has been decided now that kiln owners in Haryana will start operating after December 31. Earlier they used to commence work in the last week of October. Mr Nanda said that there are about 2000 brick-kilns in Haryana of which 103 brick kilns are in Yamunanagar. He added that the Haryana Pollution Control Board Department is levying Rs 5000 per annum as fee whereas the neighbouring states are charging from Rs 1200/- to Rs 1500/- per annum. As per the department’s design brick-kiln owners have chambers and chimneys which have already been checked by the Centre and found it in order. Mr Nanda demanded the intervention of Mr Om Parkash Chautala as thousands of labourers depend on the industry and the board should be flexible in its stand.