 |
Thursday,
May 3, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
|
PROCUREMENT OF WHEAT Slow lifting causes wheat
glut
Chautala visits grain
market |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Confer Bharat Ratna on Devi Lal:
panel Examiners’ boon is examinees’
bane Principals ‘paid less’
for exam duty Varsity withdraws
petition Central Coop Bank building stone
laid 90 illegal water connections cut Man held for bid to rape minor Drunk accused gets week’s jail Two killed as bus hits
bike Police radio network strengthened Kiln labourers to hold
rally on May 4 Principals seek hike in remuneration
|
|
PROCUREMENT OF WHEAT Chandigarh, May 2 The state government is at present running short of 50,000 bales as the Director-General of Supply and Disposal (DGSD), the Calcutta-based establishment affiliated to the Union Government, with which the order was placed by the Haryana Government for 1,90,000 bales, has so far supplied only 1,40,000 bales, leading to a crisis-like situation in the procurement operations. State government sources here alleged that the DGSD and the Railways were blaming each other for the delay in the supply of bales to Haryana. “While the DGSD is saying that the Railways has not transported the bales in time, the latter is blaming the DGSD for having given the cargo late”, the sources said. Given that each bale has 500 bags and each bag can contain 50 kg of wheat, thousands of tonnes of wheat can be adversely affected by the short supply of the bags, the sources warned. Official sources, however, added that they had managed to “track down” 33 railway wagons, each with 130 gunny bales, at Tughlakabad, near Delhi, and steps were being taken to bring the wagons to Haryana. They said while 18 wagons were expected to reach Kurukshetra by this evening, seven wagons would reach Sirsa and eight Karnal by tomorrow. Moreover, about 5,000 bales were being brought to Haryana from Rajasthan and UP through the FCI by truck, it was learnt. Despite these arrangements, there would still be a shortage of 40,000 bales, which the state government was trying to make up by purchases from private contractors and by pressing the Railways to streamline the supply of bales to Haryana. The bale shortage reportedly is acute in the mandis located on inter-state borders where arrivals are high due to selling by farmers from UP and Rajasthan. “ More than 39 lakh tonnes of wheat had arrived in the mandis till yesterday, which was over nine lakh tonnes more than the amount that had arrived in the corresponding period last year”, officials said. The unprecedented arrival has made the state agencies jack up the procurement target to 52 lakh tonnes. While the moisture content in the rain-affected wheat has come down to the acceptable level due to bright sunshine during the last couple of days, the state government has requested the Central Government to relax the specification relating to the colour (“lustre”) of the damaged wheat. Officials here, however, have no clue how they will dispose of the wheat as tonnes of the commodity procured earlier, are already lying in godowns in the state. |
|
|
Acute shortage of gunny
bags Narnaul, May 2 There are growing complaints of poor procurement arrangements by the FCI, the Food and Supplies Department and Hafed. Also an acute shortage of gunny bags is reported. Meanwhile, over 11,268 tonnes of wheat was purchased at the rate of Rs 610 per quintal by government agencies at Mahendragarh district. Out of this, 2,054 tonnes of wheat was purchased from Mandi Ateli, 2,903 tonnes from Kanina mandi and 1,078 tonnes from Mahendragarh mandi, Mr Bhagat Ram Langyan, Deputy Commissioner, said yesterday. He said in Mahendragarh only 1,601 tonnes of wheat was purchased during this period last year whereas this year, over 11,268 tonnes of wheat was purchased. In order to redress grievances of the farmers, officers had been assigned duties at purchase centres, he said, adding that stern action would be taken against middlemen. |
|
Slow lifting causes wheat
glut Kaithal, May 2 Mr Ved Parkash Singhal, President of the Ladwa Grain Merchants Association told The Tribune that because of the overflooded market, the farmers were unloading their stocks wherever space was available near the market. It was difficult to even walk in the market without passing over the wheat stocks. Mr Singhal said this was due to the “slow tactics” being adopted by the FCI to lift the purchased stocks. He stated that kutcha arhtiyas were facing difficulties because of this. He alleged that FCI officials went only to such shops for auction where the arhtiyas were ready to pay Rs 300 per truck as overhead charges for lifting the stocks from near their shops. The cart owners demanded Rs 30 per trip. This, he maintained, was an additional burden on the arhtiyas. The unloading of stocks away from the markets created problems for the farmers. Officials of purchase agencies were reluctant to go to the sites of stocks for auction. As a result, the farmers had to wait for two to three days before their wheat could be auctioned. In Kaithal, the farmers have pitched up tents on roads leading to the grain market and could be seen sitting there for two to three days. The wheat stocks have spilled over to the adjoining vacant sites and plots. Mr Raghbir Singh and Mr Gulab Singh, farmers from Darar village who have pitched a tent along with half a dozen other farmers on a road leading to the Kaithal grain market, told this reporter that they had been waiting for two days for the auction of their wheat which was lying outside the market. There were no proper arrangements for their bathing or drinking water. They had to pass their day under the burning sun. They repeatedly asked this reporter to touch their bodies to have a feel of the temperature. They have to arrange for their food from nearby dhabas. Ram Kumar, a farmer from Kailram village near Kaithal, complained of slow lifting by the FCI and other agencies. Almost a dozen farmers gathered there complained that in the beginning, their wheat was purchased much below the support price on the plea that it contained more moisture. But the rates these days were as per the minimum support price. However, none of them was satisfied with the minimum support price offered to them. They were unanimous in their demand that the minimum price should be about Rs 1000 per quintal. With the present minimum support price, they would not be able even to repay their loans. The arrivals in the markets of Kaithal, Pehowa, Guhla-Cheeka, Kurukshetra, Shahabad, Ladwa, Assandh which this correspondent visited is at the peak these days. The farmers are anxious to unload heir stocks in the markets because of the uncertainty of weather conditions. Mr Singhal disclosed that 34,886 tonnes of wheat had arrived in Ladwa market till Monday as against 39,054 metric tonnes during the corresponding period last year. The purchases made by the three agencies till today from Ladwa market were: FCI (9,886 MT), Hafed (12,213 MT) and DFSC (12, 487 MT). The arrivals were less by 15 per cent to 16 per cent as compared to last year. However, this shortfall would be overcome because of more area under wheat cultivation. The farmers reported 5 per cent less yield because of the rains this year. Mr Singhal complained that despite requests to the authorities, the FCI had not speeded up its lifting operations. Both Mr Sanjay Kothari, a commissioner rank officer of Haryana, and the Deputy Commissioner of Kurukshetra had visited the Ladwa market, but the complaints of traders and farmers had not been solved. There was shortage of drinking water and the sewerage in the market was broken at some places. In the nearby Shahabad market, farmers could be seen unloading their stocks on the roadside. Despite strict instructions by the Haryana officials, the FCI was not clearing the stocks. Frequent power failures in the markets were also affecting the work of the arhtiyas. They complained of power failure for three to four hours on an average everyday. On the other hand, Mr Dharamvir, Financial Commissioner and Secretary Food and Civil Supplies of the Haryana Government who is extensively touring the grain markets, has stated that the Haryana Government has fixed a target of 52.50 lakh tonnes of wheat purchase during this season. Last year, this target was 45 lakh tonnes. Mr Dharamvir maintained that payment to farmers was being ensured within 72 hours. About 365 purchase centres have been established in the state. He disclosed at a press briefing that godowns with a capacity of 16 lakh tonnes were being constructed in Haryana under the four-year guarantee scheme. Besides, another type of covered godowns with a capacity of 11 lakh tonnes were being built in Haryana. The state government has also cancelled the licences of 25 traders for overweighing. Fourteen of them were from Karnal district alone. |
|
Chautala visits grain
market Hisar, May 2 Mr Chautala was on his way to Fatehabad when he suddenly stopped at the grain market without any prior programme. He met the farmers and traders and inquired about the procurement process. Farmers complained about the non-availability of the gunny bags. They said they were forced to sit atop heaps of wheat the whole day because of short supply of the gunny bags. The traders complained that the lifting was slow and about 1.25 lakh quintals of wheat were already stocked in front of their shops. Mr Chautala assured to provide sufficient amount of gunny bags from tomorrow. He also directed the officials of the procurement agencies to make arrangements for providing gunny bags to traders on demand. He asked farmers not to show haste in bringing their produce to the mandis. He said though there were reports that wheat from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan was being brought to Haryana but the government would prefer farmers of its own state at every cost. The Chief Minister also asked the officials to expedite the lifting and provide other facilities to the farmers. Later, Mr Chautala also visited the Agroha grain market, about 25 km from here. |
|
Confer Bharat Ratna on Devi Lal:
panel Chandigarh, may 2 The committee also expressed gratitude to the Union Government for deciding to release a postage stamp in the name of Devi Lal and for other announcements made by some Central leaders to commemorate the role played by Devi Lal in Indian politics. The committee asked the state government to urge the Prime Minister to construct a Chaudhary Devi Lal Bhavan in Delhi on the pattern of Ambedkar Bhavan and Sapru House and develop it as a centre of learning for the youth hailing from the rural areas. The members of the committee also recommended institution of ‘Kisan Purashkars’ of Rs 1 lakh each at the national and state levels. They said the Karnal-based National Dairy Research Institute should be renamed after the late leader. The National Highway No. 10 should also be named after the late Deputy Prime Minister, they suggested. They said the day of his death should be observed as ‘Chetna Divas’ as a mark of respect to Devi Lal’s attempts to create awareness among the masses. The committee members said the Bharat Ratna award should be conferred on the late Devi Lal posthumously. They also suggested that a statue of Devi Lal should be installed in Parliament and in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha. All universities in the state should institute chairs in the late Devi Lal’s name, the members suggested, while they also urged fellow member, Mr Satbir Singh Kadiyan, Speaker of the Haryana Assembly, to turn room no. 17 of the MLAs hostel, where Devi Lal used to stay, as a memorial to the departed leader. While Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, state BJP president, and the representatives of two Left parties reportedly attended the meeting, the HVP leader and former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, chief of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, were conspicuous by their absence in the meeting. |
|
Examiners’ boon is examinees’
bane Hisar, May 2 In the past, answerbooks were sent to examiners for evaluation at their homes during the summer vacation. Usually, they were expected to evaluate 100 answer books in six days. Examiners were sent 250 to 300 answerbooks and it took them about a month to complete the job. The idea was to give them adequate time to evaluate the answerbooks since it is a mentally exhausting job. Under the new system, examiners are expected to mark 40 answerbooks in a day. Even this figure is considered to be on the higher side, since it usually takes about 15 minutes to 20 minutes to evaluate an answerbook except in the case of English B papers, which cover the grammar part and can be evaluated in about five minutes each. Experienced teachers term the new system as a “big farce enacted at the cost of examinees”. It is learnt that at many centres, examiners have been evaluating 100 and above answerbooks a day. During a tour of several evaluation centres, The Tribune noticed that marking was being carried out in a very casual way. Senior teachers maintained that unless the questions were of the objective type, which required a specific answer, or for that matter English grammar paper, there was no need to go through the entire contents. A quick look at the answer was enough to judge an examinee. They, however, admitted an examiner could not do full justice to the examinee by evaluating 100 or more answerbooks in a day. It is learnt that the worst sufferers will be those who have to attempt descriptive answers for subjects like economics, political science, philosophy etc. And among them, the meritorious students will suffer the most since the examiners do not have the time to go through their answers fully. Under such circumstances, the general tendency of the examiner is not to award high marks, experienced teachers said. The system has come a boon for retired teachers who have a lot of spare time at their disposal. The remuneration for evaluation varies from class to class, but it is nevertheless attractive enough. Those who are trying to set new records in evaluation mostly belong to this category, as they want to make the best of the opportunity. The spot evaluation system became a necessity when the government last year decided to extend the academic session to at least 180 days a year. This was not possible since results were declared very late and, in many cases, several weeks after the commencement of the academic session. Thus, it was decided to take a short cut, which may boomerang on the examinees, especially those who burnt midnight oil to get high scores. |
|
Principals ‘paid less’
for exam duty Fatehabad, May 2 In a letter written to the Vice-Chancellors of Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra and Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Mr R.K. Sehgal, Principal of the local Government College for Women, Fatehabad and general secretary of the HGCPA, has said that the universities should increase the amount of remuneration being paid to the principals. He said that a college principal got only Rs 2200 as remuneration. In case there were two centres in any college, the remuneration amounted to Rs 4,000. This, he said, was meagre as compared to Rs 6,040 being paid to the centre superintendents. Even a lecturer who was appointed to work with the principal got Rs 4,690. A clerk on examination duty got Rs 2,345 and even Class IV employees got more than what the principals got, he said. Mr Sehgal has requested the Vice-Chancellors that in view of the responsibilities being shouldered by the principals in the capacity of superintendent chiefs, a remuneration of Rs 6,000 for one centre and Rs 8,000 for the double or triple centre should be paid to the principals. |
|
Varsity withdraws
petition Hisar, May 2 Mr Bijender Sharma, a former president of the HAU students’ union, gave the undertaking that they would not take out procession within 50 metres radius of the campus. He submitted that they would not block university gates and also not stop employees from discharging their duties. After this the university withdrew its petition. The university had filed a suit against 10 student leaders seeking a ban on their activities in and around the campus. The authorities alleged that these leaders were creating troubles by taking out processions in the campus and locking the gates of the colleges. The court had imposed a ban on strikes and procession in the campus. Students have been on strike for the introduction of agriculture as a subject at the school-level since March 27. |
|
Central Coop Bank building stone
laid Fatehabad, May 2 The Chief Minister said that he cooperative movement was started in India about a century back to take out the poor and downtrodden from the clutches of moneylenders who used to charge exorbitant interests from them. He said that after the formation of the new district of Fatehabad, he had taken up the case of registration of a separate Central Cooperative Bank for the new district with the RBI. Mr Chautala said that the state government had been striving hard to provide the best of services to the rural people through the cooperatives. During the past one year, 15 new mini-banks and one more branch of Central Cooperative Bank had been started in the district, the announcements for which were made by him in his Sarkar Aapke Dwar programmes. Apart from providing credit to the farmers, the cooperatives have been providing fertilisers, seeds, weedicides and pesticides to the farmers. He said that the people of this district were progressive farmers and hoped that the new bank would meet their credit needs. The Financial Commissioner, Cooperation, Mr M.K. Miglani, said 135 mini banks and 15 branches of this bank would be set up in this district. The bank would be started with a share capital of Rs. 451 lakh a reserve fund of Rs 408 lakh and an accumulated profit of Rs 123 lakh upto March 31, 2001. The working capital would be Rs. 148 crore and the total loan outstanding will be Rs. 130.02 crore. Later, the Chief Minister visited the local grain market and inspected the wheat procurement arrangements of the district administration. He also talked to the farmers to know their problems. |
|
90 illegal water connections cut Panipat, May 2 The Executive Engineer (Xen), Mr K.S. Joon, today said during the drive main waterlines which were more than 15 years old and passed through sewerlines were replaced and separated from adjoining sewerlines. Over 90 unauthorised water connections passing through sewerlines were detected and disconnected in the Idgah colony and other residential areas around Model Town. Similarly, about 600 unauthorised water connections were regularised by charging Rs 500 as fees and penalty of Rs 2000 for each connection, he said and added that the campaign would be continued during May also. The Xen said the town had been divided into two parts and seven teams were deployed for the works during the campaign. Samalkha town, a subdivisional head quarters was also covered under the campaign. The Public Health Department has installed 76 tubewells and there is a plan to install 20 new tubewells for augmenting water supply in colonies, including Model Town, Bishan Saroop Colony, Old Housing Board Colony, Batra Colony, New Ram Nagar, Virat Nagar, Subzi Mandi and eight Marla Colony. For this and other works, a provision of Rs 50 lakh has been made in this year’s Budget. The Xen expressed his concern over the decreasing water level and disclosed that it was going down at an average of 18 inches every year and during the last 10 years the depletion in water level was up to 90 feet. |
|
Man held for bid to rape minor Ambala, May 2 According to information, the katha wachak had links at Hardwar and Kurukshetra. Besides teaching yoga, he was also offering herbal treatment for different diseases to his followers. He was residing in a house of his follower in Anaj Mandi. The people generally came there to meet him in the evening hours. The mother of the girl, along with her daughter, came last evening for the treatment as her 13-year-old daughter was suffering from a disease for the past few months. The katha wachak took the girl in another room for giving her treatment. Later the girl told her mother that the katha wachak attempted to rape her. According to the DSP Ambala, Mr Om Prakash, on the statement of the girl, a case was registered against the katha wachak under Section 376 of the IPC. The victim was brought to the local civil hospital for medical examination. Today morning, some people manhandled the katha wachak and later he was handed over to the police. |
|
|
Drunk accused gets week’s jail Hisar, May 2 Balbir Singh said, “I am drunk, please send me to the jail.’’ Guilty of disruption of proceedings, spoiling decorum and contempt of court, he was fined Rs 200. “If he fails to pay up the fine, he should be sent to jail for seven days,’’ the judge ordered. Balbir Singh is one of the 36 accused in a case of embezzlement registered by the Vigilance Bureau in 1991 against the office bearers and other members of a cooperative society of Tohana. Balbir Singh had also availed a loan of Rs 40,000 from the society. The court had scheduled arguments in the case for yesterday. Balbir Singh is a resident of Samain village and had served the Indian Navy as a storekeeper. Later he got a job at the Hisar vaccination centre, but was terminated for serious irregularities. Outside the court Balbir Singh said, “I could have paid Rs 200 as fine to skip the jail but I have not done so because I want confinement to give up my habit of drinking.”
UNI |
|
Two killed as bus hits
bike Panipat, May 2 According to information, Shamu and Raj Bahadur, who worked as labourers at a brick-kiln near Karhans village, were riding a motor cycle and going towards a petrol pump at Samalkha. When the duo turned towards the petrol pump across the G.T. Road, their motor cycle was hit by a speeding Haryana Roadways bus bound for Delhi. Shamu died on the spot whereas Raj Bahadur reportedly succumbed to injuries while being taken to hospital. Both victims hailed from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. The bodies have been sent for a postmortem to the Civil Hospital. Driver Subash Chander of the bus has also been taken into custody after registration of a case. In another accident between a Tata 407 and a truck near Chandoli village last night, at least 24 persons occupying Tata 407 were injured. Out of them, eight are reported to be serious. They were returning from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. |
|
Police radio network strengthened Chandigarh, May 2 He announced that one channel would be used for clearing radio messages, known as traffic net. The other would be used for conveying verbal information relating to the movement of dignitaries and crime. He said steps had been taken to strengthen radio communication in the state. As many as 586 VHF high-band sets and 630 high-band walkie-talkie sets based on the latest technology had been provided to the state radio network. |
|
|
Kiln labourers to hold
rally on May 4 Sirsa, May 2 The President of the district Brick Kiln Owners’ Association has alleged that Mr Avtar Singh is misleading the labourers. He claimed that the workers are interested in resuming their work and about 60 per cent of them have already returned. Although the labour rates in the district are higher than that of any other district the leaders who don’t have any connection with the labourers are misleading them and sabotaging the negotiations. On the other hand the labourers continue their strike and plan to organise a bigger demonstration on May 4 in case of non-acceptance of their demands. The labourers demonstrated on the local Rangri Road today. Later a delegation met the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr D. Suresh, who assured them to solve the matter at the earliest. Principals seek hike in remuneration Sirsa, May 2 The general secretary of the association, Mr R.K. Sehgal, said Rs 2,200 being paid for the duty at present was too meagre as compared to the lecturers who were doing examination duty as superintendent. He said association had requested the Vice-Chancellor of the state universities to look into the matter and enhance the amount to minimum Rs 6,000 for a single centre to the Principal of the College/Superintendent-in-Chief. |
|
Travel economy class by air: Haryana Govt Chandigarh, may 2 A notification to this effect was issued by the Finance Department. |
|
|
Young Scientist Award Hisar, May 2 According to a communication received the award will be presented to him during the annual general meeting of the academy scheduled to be held at Delhi from October 6. The award carried a bronze medal and a cash prize of Rs 25,000. |
|
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
