H A R Y A N A

Cong begins groundwork for rally
GURGAON, Feb 8 — The Congress in Haryana launched a mobilisation campaign for its proposed state-level rally in Bhiwani on March 18 from here today. The President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, was here to give a fillip to the campaign.

HPCC executive meets on Feb 18
CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, today convened a general body executive of the Pradesh Congress Committee at Bhiwani on February 18.

Chautala rules out fresh taxes
FATEHABAD, Feb 8 — The Haryana Government does not propose to impose any fresh tax on its people in the coming Budget. Speaking to mediapersons at Tohana in this district yesterday, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, said though the state government had incurred heavy expenses in providing relief material to the quake-hit in Gujarat, it did not wish to impose any fresh tax on its people.

Haryana shifts 31 officers
CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — The Haryana Government today issued transfer orders for one IAS, 27 HCS officers and three non-HCS officers with immediate effect.

Declaration on controlled area
SONEPAT, Feb 8 — The Department of Town and Country Planning, Haryana, has declared the area between Kundli village along the Haryana-Delhi border and the Haldana border along Panipat district as controlled area in accordance with the Punjab Scheduled Roads and Controlled Area Restrictions of Unregulated Development Act, 1963.

Nagra flays Haryana Govt’s policies
SONEPAT, Feb 8 — Mr Aman Kumar Nagra, a former Member of Parliament and the President of the Haryana unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), today strongly condemned Haryana Government’s moves to increase the power tariff and pursue anti-Dalit and anti-farmer policies.

Are oil storage tanks a threat?
AMBALA, Feb 8 — A storm seems to be brewing over the safety of the population living close to the large oil storage tanks located near Ambala Cantonment on the G.T. Road.

1.7 cr for mushroom projects
SONEPAT, Feb 8 — Mr Ajay Chautala, MP and President of the Yuva wing of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) laid the foundation stone of a compost unit and a rest house on the premises of the HAIC Agro Research and Development Centre at Murthal, about 8 km from here yesterday.

Mining Dept owes 6 crore to MC
FARIDABAD, Feb 8 — The local municipal corporation, which owns about 3,600 acres of mining land in the district, is not getting its share of lease money in time, due to lack of ‘proper coordination and understanding’ between the Mining Department and the corporation authorities.

Tata Sumo taken away at gunpoint
ROHTAK, Feb 8 — Three armed robbers allegedly shot at the driver of a Tata Sumo and took away the vehicle near Kharak-Kalinga village, 30 km from here, on the Rohtak Bhiwani road today.

1 killed in dispute over water
FARIDABAD, Feb 8 — One person was killed and two others injured in a dispute over some “irrigation water” at a village in the district.

Labourer electrocuted 
ROHTAK, Feb 8 — One labourer was electrocuted and two women succumbed to their burns at the PGIMS today. The labourer, Babu Lal (20) of Madhya Pradesh, was electrocuted when he was operating a floor rubbing machine in Sector 2 here.

Clerk held for bribery
CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — The Haryana State Vigilance Bureau today claimed to have nabbed Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Subri in Ambala district, working as a clerk at the Haryana Scheduled Castes and Financial Development Corporation in Yamunanagar, while taking a bribe of Rs 1,000 from one Jagdish.

Cong begins groundwork for rally
From Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Feb 8 — The Congress in Haryana launched a mobilisation campaign for its proposed state-level rally in Bhiwani on March 18 from here today. The President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, was here to give a fillip to the campaign.

The Congress, plans to consolidate its base by demonstrating its popularity. The rally which has been christened as “dharam yudh” will also aim to galvanise momentum against the government of Mr Om Prakash Chautala and to expose the HVP headed by former Chief Minister Bansi Lal, which is reorganising itself through public meetings.

Although the choice of Bhiwani, in central Haryana, as the venue for the rally and its timing is the decision of the HPCC, the idea of the event is understood to be given by the central leadership of the party.

Mr Hooda said Mr Chautala, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu and Union Minister Nitish Kumar, who were part of the NDA government, had allied with the BJP in the name of the farming community. However, farmers in their respective states had suffered the most on account of the policies of the Vajpayee government.

In response to another question about Mr Bhajan Lal also organising a public meeting in Bhiwani prior to the official rally, he said disciplinary action could be taken against those who violated the directive of the central leadership which had directed that public meetings could be held only under the banner of the HPCC or DCCs. He said there was no question of his attending the meeting organised by Mr Bhajan Lal.

A section of Congress leaders are of the view that the INLD camp, along with the government machinery, are making efforts to project the campaign of the HVP. This, they feel, is to confuse the Jat community. They claim that Mr Hooda has emerged as a threat to the established leaders of all parties.

Several times in the past, especially during the last parliamentary and Assembly elections, a section in the Congress told the central leadership that Mr Bhajan Lal had a tacit understanding with Mr Chautala. It is in this context, that Hooda loyalists have launched a “whisper campaign” about the efforts of Mr Bhajan Lal to organise the non-Jats under him.

The significance attached to the rally can be gauged from the fact that Bhiwani was the venue as it is the home district and bastion of Mr Bansi Lal.

The rally will also be a test of the popularity of Mr Hooda. The party had, under his first tenure as state party chief, organised “kranti rally” in Jind, considered to be part of the Jat heartland. It was billed to be one of the biggest rallies in the annals of Haryana politics. But the Congress could not get a mileage out of it as the party lost in the Assembly elections.

Sources said Mr Hooda had informal discussions with senior leaders of his party on issues relating to the Bhiwani rally. The party is said to be toying with the idea of giving the event the shape of “kranti rally”. Details will be finalised at a general body meeting of the HPCC on February 18.

HPCC executive meets on Feb 18
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, today convened a general body executive of the Pradesh Congress Committee at Bhiwani on February 18.

A party press note said the meeting would finalise the strategy to mobilise the party rank and file for the state-level rally proposed to be organised at Bhiwani on March 18. The rally will highlight the hardships of the people, particularly farmers, due to the “anti-people” policies of the Chautala Government.

The meeting will be attended by all the AICC members from Haryana, District Congress Committee presidents, PCC members, MLAs and heads of frontal organisations and PCC cells.

Chautala rules out fresh taxes
From Sushil Manav

FATEHABAD, Feb 8 — The Haryana Government does not propose to impose any fresh tax on its people in the coming Budget. Speaking to mediapersons at Tohana in this district yesterday, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, said though the state government had incurred heavy expenses in providing relief material to the quake-hit in Gujarat, it did not wish to impose any fresh tax on its people.

He said the government was of the view that any such step would hurt the feelings of those voluntry organisations and social workers who had come forward to help the quake victims.

He appreciated the efforts by Haryanvi volunteers who had been working round the clock in Rapar taluk of Bhuj to provide relief to the quake-hit. He said the Haryana Government had been entrusted with the task of providing relief to 15 worst-hit villages.

The state, he said, would provide temporary shelters and items of daily use to as many as 7,000 families till arrangements for permanent houses for them were made.

To a question, Mr Chautala said some of the conditions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) were detrimental to the interests of farmers.

Mr Chautala said if the WTO conditions were implemented in the country in toto, it would spell ruin for the agriculturists.

Mr Chautala criticised the Opposition, particularly the Congress, for opposing his government for no “solid” grounds.

Mr Chautala also heard grievances at “sarkar aapke dwar” programme organised at I.G. Government College. Residents of 66 villages of the Tohana Assembly constituency appeared before Mr Chautala with common grievances.

He announced several development projects for Tohana and appealed to people to pay their power bills in time. He said his government was committed to all-round development of the state but this was only possible with the cooperation of the people.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik, the IG, Hisar Range, Mr R.N. Chalia, the S.P., Mr Hanif Qureshi, MLAs Nishan Singh, Leeka Krishan and Jarnail Singh, and the district INLD mahila wing president, Mrs Krishana Poonia, were present.

Later, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of “Chitain minor” at Nangli village, 20 km from Tohana. The minor will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1 crore. Mr M.G. Thukral, Engineer-in-Chief, Irrigation, said it would be completed in a record time of seven months. It would cater to the needs of six villages — Nangla, Nangli, Samain, Pirthala, Laloda and Chitain. About 4,000 acres would get additional supply of irrigation water through this minor.

The Local Bodies Minister, Mr Subhash Goyal, and local MLA Nishan Singh were also present on the occasion.

Haryana shifts 31 officers
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — The Haryana Government today issued transfer orders for one IAS, 27 HCS officers and three non-HCS officers with immediate effect.

Mr S.K. Goyal, Additional State Transport Controller (Admn), has been posted as Additional Transport Commissioner, a newly created post.

Mr M.L. Sarwan, Deputy Secretary, Technical Education Department, will be new Additional State Transport Controller. Mr K.K. Gupta, Hisar (City) Magistrate, has been posted as General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Bhiwani, vice Mr S.K. Katyal who becomes Under Secretary, Jails and Judicial and Press Department, against a vacant post. Mrs Monika Malik, Estate Officer, Urban Estate, Hisar will also look after the work of Hisar (City) Magistrate.

Mr Manoj Kumar, Jhajjar (City) Magistrate, will be new Sub Divisional Officer at Palwal against a vacant post. Mr R.K. Garg Administrative Officer, Directorate of School Education, has been posted as Jhajjar (City) Magistrate, while Mr Vivek Dhankar, awaiting posting orders will be new Administrative Officer, Directorate of School Education.

Mr N.K. Singla, Officer on Special Duty, Command Area Development Authority, Panchkula, goes as District Transport Officer, Panchkula, relieving Mr Nar Singh Dhull of the charge. Mr Girish Arora, Chief Executive Officer, Kurukshetra Development Board, has been given the additional charge of District Transport Officer, Kurukshetra, relieving Mr Dalip Singh of the charge.

Mr Narender Singh, Executive Magistrate and Rewari (City) Magistrate, will take over as General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Yamunanagar, vice Mr Aurbind Sharma, who has been posted as General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Ambala, in place of Mr B.R. Beri, who goes as General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Chandigarh, against a vacant post. Mr Dharamvir Singh, General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Rohtak, goes as Faridabad (City) Magistrate vice Mr S.S. Dalal who has been posted as General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Jhajjar , against a vacant post. Mr Virender Lathar, Sirsa (City) Magistrate, has been posted as General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Rohtak. Mr R.C. Verma, Additional Director, Local Bodies will be the Sirsa (City) Magistrate, and Estate Officer, Urban Estate, Sirsa, in addition. Mr Sanjeev Verma, Deputy Controller, Civil Defence, Ambala, has been posted as Rewari (City) Magistrate, and Estate Officer, Urban Estate, Rewari. Mr Dharam Paul, Estate Officer, Urban Estate, Gurgaon becomes General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Delhi, vice R.S. Khara who has been posted as Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, NIT, Faridabad in place of Mr A.S. Mann who goes as Estate Officer, Urban Estate, Gurgaon. Mr P.D.Verma, Estate Officer, Urban Estate, Karnal, goes as District Transport Officer, Panipat, relieving Mr D.P.S. Yadav of the charge.

Mr Bhoop Singh Bishnoi, Flying Squad Officer, FCR’s Office and Transport Department, goes as Inquiry Officer, HAFED against a vacant post. Mr Balbir Singh, Chief General Manager, Haryana State Small Industries and Export Corporation, will be new District Transport Officer, Kaithal, relieving Mr V.S. Joon of the charge. Mr Ishwar Singh Dahiya, Fatehabad (City) Magistrate, has also given the charge of District Transport Officer, Fatehabad, vice Mr Sanjay Rai. Mr Jaibir Singh Arya, DTO, Rohtak, and Assistant Director, Consolidation of Holdings, Rohtak, has been posted as DTO, Sonepat relieving Mr Jagdeep Singh of the charge. Mr L.P.S. Tomar, Karnal (City) Magistrate, will also look after the work of Estate Officer, Urban Estate, Karnal in place of Mr P.D.Verma. Mr M.K. Mahajan, General Manager, Haryana Roadways , Dadri will be new Flying Squad Officer, Transport Department.

Mr S.K. Goyal, General Manager, Central Workshop, Hisar, becomes DTO, Hisar, vice Mr Sanjay Rai, who goes as DTO, Rohtak, Mr K.D. Sharma, General Manager, Haryana Roadways, Narnaul, become DTO, Narnaul, relieving Mr Mahender Pal Sangwan of the charge.

Declaration on controlled area
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 8 — The Department of Town and Country Planning, Haryana, has declared the area between Kundli village along the Haryana-Delhi border and the Haldana border along Panipat district as controlled area in accordance with the Punjab Scheduled Roads and Controlled Area Restrictions of Unregulated Development Act, 1963.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal, told mediapersons here today that no construction without the prior permission of the department would be allowed.

He also said that the violation of the rules would be a penal offence which could attract three years’ rigorous imprisonment and a fine or both. He also said the department had decided to remove unauthorised construction in the area on a priority basis.

The Deputy Commissioner warned people of serious consequences if they undertook any construction or changed the use of land without the prior permission of the department. He also advised entrepreneurs shifting from Delhi to Sonepat district for starting construction of buildings only after getting the requisite permission from the department.

The Deputy Commissioner also disclosed that the department had already launched a campaign for the demolition of unauthorised constructions and buildings in the controlled area. 

Nagra flays Haryana Govt’s policies
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 8 — Mr Aman Kumar Nagra, a former Member of Parliament and the President of the Haryana unit of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), today strongly condemned Haryana Government’s moves to increase the power tariff and pursue anti-Dalit and anti-farmer policies. He said the Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, has committed a blunder by giving plots to polluted industries which had been thrown out of Delhi.

Talking to mediapersons here, he also criticised the conversion of the site reserved for the construction of Asia’s biggest fruit and vegetable market at Rai into an industrial estate and said the industries to be set up in this area would spread pollution which would adversely affect the health of the people.

Expressing concern over the growing number of atrocities on Dalits and demotion of Scheduled Castes employees, he said majority of the residential plots given to Dalits for the construction of houses had been encroached upon by the influential persons in the rural areas thanks to the failure of the state government to take stern action against the guilty.

Are oil storage tanks a threat?
From Rahul Das
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, Feb 8 — A storm seems to be brewing over the safety of the population living close to the large oil storage tanks located near Ambala Cantonment on the G.T. Road.

While the local populace feels that the oil depots pose a safety hazard, the oil terminal officials assure that safety has been accorded top priority and the storage tanks do not pose a threat to the people.

Ambala Cantonment MLA Anil Vij in a letter to the authorities said. “You must be aware that some time back a tanker full of fuel had met with an accident near the oil depots. A scooter slipped on the road and the area caught fire.”

“The fire fighting arrangements started operations immediately, but because of the location of the oil depots near the place of the accident, the administration thought of getting the entire area vacated and gave a warning to the residents in the nearby localities to vacate their houses and shift to safer places”, the letter states.

Mr Vij said that as the oil depots are located closed to the populated areas on the G.T. Road, a proposal was mooted to carry out the risk analysis in consultation with the experts to shift the oil depots from the present site to an area where there was no population closeby.

An oil terminal official said the oil terminals are absolutely safe and do not pose any threat to the population. “As a matter of fact, we have been awarded the Haryana Safety Award in 1999,” the official said.

He said that right now the latest safety measures have been set up in the oil terminal. “We have put up a water sprinkler and a foam pourer system. If at all the need arises, we can now fight fire for ten hours. We also have six fire pumps with a capacity of six lakh litres per hour,” he said.

The official said that the foam which is used is of international standards. “We are using Aqous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) which is being used the world over”, he said. “The safety measures in the oil terminal are based on the norms set by the Oil Industry Safety Director,” he added. He stated that the risk analysis is already on.

Deputy Commissioner of Ambala D.D. Gautam said that the latest safety has been set up in the oil terminal. “Recently, we witnessed a fire fighting demonstration at the oil terminal where it was shown how a blaze was quickly stopped,” he said.

Incidentally, the oil terminals, which are facing a demand for being shifted out, have now become a revenue-earner for the Municipal Council, Ambala Sadar. The council has started levying charges on the oil tankers depending upon their size.

1.7 cr for mushroom projects
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Feb 8 — Mr Ajay Chautala, MP and President of the Yuva wing of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) laid the foundation stone of a compost unit and a rest house on the premises of the HAIC Agro Research and Development Centre at Murthal, about 8 km from here yesterday.

Mr Chautala also inaugurated the state-level mushroom mela organised by different government agencies, including research and development industries, universities and ICAR institutes for boosting the mushroom production and technology, on this occasion. A large number of mushroom growers from all over the state and other neighbouring states also participated.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Chautala said a sum of Rs 1.7 crore would be spent on these projects and the mushroom growers would be given all-out financial help.

He also said mushroom seeds of good quality would be distributed and supplied to the growers. A centre for this purpose, the first of its kind in the country, had already been set up at Murthal and the mushroom growers would be imparted training for the purposes, he added.

Referring to the power crisis in the state, Mr Chautala said in order to meet the growing demand of power, the state government had purchased power worth Rs 600 crore from the neighbouring states and additional power and subsidy have been provided to the mushroom growers. He also said the power connections to mushroom growers have already been included in the agricultural sector by the state government.

He disclosed that out of 40,000 tonnes of mushroom being grown in the country, Haryana alone was producing 4,000 tonnes annually and 40 per cent of it was being produced in Sonepat district itself.

Mr Suraj Mal Antil, MLA and Chairman of HAFED, Mr Inder Singh, Chairman, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation, Mr Ved Singh Malik, former Haryana minister, and Mr Ranbir Singh Dahiya, President of the district unit of the INLD were present on the occasion.

Mining Dept owes 6 crore to MC
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Feb 8 — The local municipal corporation, which owns about 3,600 acres of mining land in the district, is not getting its share of lease money in time, due to lack of ‘proper coordination and understanding’ between the Mining Department and the corporation authorities.

The dues to be paid to the corporation amount to about Rs 6 crore.

According to the contract, the Mining Department has to pay 10 per cent of the lease money received from the parties engaged in the work to the municipal corporation. According to sources, there has been undue delay on part of the mining officials to recover payment from the lease-holders and as a result, the payment to the corporation has got delayed.

The mining areas include 1900 acres in Pali, 1250 acres in Badkhal region, 400 acres in Bhakri and 60 acres in Gothra-Mohabatabad area. The Mining Department allocates mining land to lease-holders on contract basis.

This time the lease-holders include, an MP, a Haryana minister and Haryana Minerals Limited. 

Tata Sumo taken away at gunpoint
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Feb 8 — Three armed robbers allegedly shot at the driver of a Tata Sumo and took away the vehicle near Kharak-Kalinga village, 30 km from here, on the Rohtak Bhiwani road today.

According to police sources, three youths hired the vehicle from Bhiwani to Rohtak. When they reached Kharak-Kalinga village, one of them took control of the vehicle at gunpoint. Later, they shot at the driver, Anil of Bahalgarh village, when he protested and threw him near Panipat.

The driver has been admitted to hospital.

1 killed in dispute over water

FARIDABAD, Feb 8 — One person was killed and two others injured in a dispute over some “irrigation water” at a village in the district.

According to information, the accused, Ramesh, and his son Beeru allegedly attacked Badan Singh of Marauli village when the latter ignored the irrigation of a field. The father-son duo also attacked Amrit and Karan Singh with lathis when they rushed to help Badan Singh. The victim, who was seriously injured, succumbed to his injuries on way to a hospital. Karan and Amrit were also injured. A case under Section 302, 323 and 34, IPC, has been registered.

Meanwhile, about 14 passengers, including three women, were injured in an accident near Palwal town in the district. The mishap occurred when a Tata Sumo coming from Agra collided with a tractor near the Alawalpur chowk yesterday.

Labourer electrocuted 
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Feb 8 — One labourer was electrocuted and two women succumbed to their burns at the PGIMS today.

The labourer, Babu Lal (20) of Madhya Pradesh, was electrocuted when he was operating a floor rubbing machine in Sector 2 here.

In another case, Bimla of Sikandarpur village in Bhiwani and Bantra of Tihar Malik village in Sonepat succumbed to their injuries at the PGIMS. They were admitted yesterday.

Bodies of all three have been handed over to the families concerned after a post-mortem examination.

Meanwhile, the police recovered a body of a youth from Bhalaut Minor near Naya Baans village yesterday. The body bore scratch marks.

The body has not been identified so far.

Clerk held for bribery
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Feb 8 — The Haryana State Vigilance Bureau today claimed to have nabbed Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Subri in Ambala district, working as a clerk at the Haryana Scheduled Castes and Financial Development Corporation in Yamunanagar, while taking a bribe of Rs 1,000 from one Jagdish.

The bureau also arrested Roshan Lal, a resident of Ravi Dass Basti in Thanesar, working as a peon in the same office while taking a bribe of Rs 500 from Balwinder Singh, a resident of Dwarka Puri of Jagadhri.

The cases against these suspects are said to be in progress.