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| Monday, June 4, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Power tariff hike defies
logic Power tariff in for
revision Water policy for Haryana soon Farmers seek share in canal
waters CM ‘blackmailing’
PM on Ajit issue |
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Bhajan Lal, Birender
join hands 1 held for killing
industrialist Tension in town over boy’s
death Gangraped woman
missing Providing vaccination at affordable
rates UHBVN detects 1,367 power theft cases Felling of trees on the rise No headway in businessman’s murder case
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Power tariff hike defies
logic Rohtak, June 3 The government, industrial associations say, should not only attract investment but also protect the existing investment and not force them to close down. A small unit with a sanctioned load of 100 kw is required to pay over Rs 20,000 per month even if the actual consumption bill is of only Rs 5000. A new entrepreneur has to set aside a few thousand rupees for electricity bill irrespective of the negligible consumption during the initial stages. Certain District Industries Centres (DICs) have not been accepting new application for registration of small-scale industry mainly on the ground that it was located in non-conforming areas. The shortsightedness of the authorities can be gauged from the fact that it was the present government, which on repeated requests and appeals by the industrial associations, removed the three-year old ban on the release of power connections in non-conforming areas imposed by the previous governments. While this steps was widely welcomed by the small-scale industries, the non-registration of their units by the DICs has created a new problem. A typical case of one-step forward, two steps backward, this single act on the part of the authorities has become a laughing stock among the people. While to a new unit in a non-conforming areas, power connection is released, sales-tax, central excise, labour etc registration done, only the DICs whose primary job is to register and record new industries refuse to do so. In other words, the DIC offices have no record of hundreds or more small-scale industries which have come up in the past one year. All efforts by various industrial associations to have the so-called non-conforming industrial areas regularised have so far gone in vain. The associations had proposed that these non-conforming areas be regularised in stages and provided infrastructural facilities on payment of development charges. A survey of these areas was ordered but it seems to have been lost in a bureaucratic muddle. These small units now work under perpetual fear and uncertainty. The problem of unemployment is likely to further aggravate with the government. Public sector undertakings, banks etc shedding their extra flab through voluntary retirement schemes, IT industries on a sudden slow down, merges and acquisition of industries by multinationals, restructuring and re-organisation by all corporates. The only way to tackle the problem of unemployment is through the growth of self-employment, entrepreneurial spirit and in the small-scale industrial sector. It is high time the government should come out with a clear-cut and consistent long-term policy towards the small scale sector and more so the cottage and tiny industries. The government, the industrial association feel, should take positive steps to achieve eight per cent growth or more in small scale sector as envisaged in the current five-year
plan. (concluded) |
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Power tariff in for
revision Chandigarh, June 3 The power tariff in Haryana was last revised in December last but had come into effect on January 1. The new revision, informed sources say, is scheduled to come into effect from the end of next month. The HERC has asked the public to file its objections, if any, to the proposed revision by June 27. The HERC willing, the sources say, there will not be any additional burden on the power consumers of Haryana despite the revision of the power tariff and they will continue to pay what they are paying now. How? The Power Utilities have sought an increase in the tariff which is equal to the existing fuel surcharge on each unit of power consumed. The fuel surcharge will come to an end on July 31. The new tariff will come into force from the next day. Thus, there will not be any change in the effective rates of power for the consumers. Of course, this is subject to the approval of the HERC, which has the power to revise the tariff even beyond what has been sought by the Power Utilities, which want the tariff to be revised, on an average, by about 5 per cent. In December last, the HERC, acting on its own, had ordered a hefty increase in the minimum monthly consumption charges(MMCC), though the utilities never asked for it. This led to a hue and cry from consumers, some of whom even went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which asked the HERC to hold public hearings again on the issue and re-examine it. The utilities propose to cover the gap between its expenses on the purchase of power and revenue receipts by reducing transmission losses by 5 per cent this year by checking the pilferage of power. The sources say the HERC may have certain doubts about the amount to be spent by the utilities on the purchase of power. However, during the past two months, the power purchased by the utilities has been within the projected range because of which the HERC may find it difficult to disagree with the proposal of the utilities to revise the tariff by about 5 per cent. Incidentally, the increase in the tariff sought by the Haryana utilities is the minimum in the region. Delhi recently revised the power tariff by about 20 per cent. |
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Water policy for Haryana soon New Delhi, June 3 Engineer-in-Chief, Irrigation,
R. K. Ailawadhi said a draft of the policy was ready. The policy would address all major issues relating to the water sector, and aims at the optimum utilisation of available water resources as part of the efforts being made to effectively implement reforms in the water sector in the state. It would also pave way for long- term sustainability of the vital sector. The broad objectives of the state water policy include integrated planning of water resources with components of drainage, flood management and water conservation techniques; equitable and judicious allocation of water with emphasis on poor sections of society; farmers participation and decentralisation of management; planning of water resources on the concept of basin or sub-basin as a unit, treating surface and ground waters as unitary resource to meet the demands of various sectors; environmental, social and economic sustainability of development plans for water resources. The other objectives include full recovery of operation and maintenance costs from the users; installation of sound and efficient communication system, financial management system and management information system; provision of substantive legal framework for water resources planning and promotion of training and research facility in the water resource sector. Mr Ailawadhi said the policy would cover water resources planning, allocation priorities like environmental allocation, drinking water, hydro-power, irrigation, thermal power, agro-industries, non-agricultural industries and other such issues. It would also cover the issues of water conservation, environmental sustainability of development of water resources, drinking water, irrigation, groundwater management, drought management, flood control, protection and management, drainage and problems of water-logging and salinity, participatory irrigation management, rehabilitation and resettlement and other social issues. |
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Steps to boost supply of power, water Sonepat, June 3 This was stated by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister, while addressing a gathering before presiding over an open darbar held at Panchayat Bhavan here today. Representatives of all 31 municipal wards and 25 gram panchayats of the Sonepat Assembly constituency were present on the occasion. The open darbar was a part of the “Sarkar Aapke Dwar” programme. Referring to the transfer policy of teachers, Mr Chautala said the state government had already sought the preferences of teachers for their postings. He said more teachers had been recruited and they would be posted in rural schools. Mr Chautala promised that the government would remove all encroachments on public and shamlat land. |
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Farmers seek share in canal
waters Narnaul, June 3 Mr Balraj Yadav, Mr Daleep Singh, Mr Ved Prakash Vidhrohi, Mr Amer Singh, Mr Ram Niwas Yadav, Mr Jai Narain, Capt Hari Singh and Mr Hari Ram were among those who addressed the panchayat. They said all village ponds falling within the panchayat jurisdiction and the Hamidpur and Jorasi bundhs should be filled with canal waters to combat the shortage of drinking water. A memorandum of demands was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner to be forwarded to the Haryana Chief Minister. They demanded that the area’s share of canal waters should be given. They said the Haryana Government should make efforts to raise the groundwater level. The speakers said that in view of the continuing drought-like conditions in the area, it should be declared a drought-affected area. |
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CM ‘blackmailing’ PM on Ajit issue Kaithal, June 3 Addressing newspersons here today, he said: “It shows the political selfishness and narrowmindedness of Mr Chautala. It would have been better had the Chief Minister bargained with the Prime Minister on the issue of bringing SYL canal water for Haryana.” Taking exception to the alleged use of the state government machinery for arranging public meetings of Mr Chautala in Uttar Pradesh, he said: “Men and material in large numbers were mobilised from the state to make Mr Chautala’s public meetings in Uttar Pradesh successful.” Criticising the state government’s decision to hand over control of schools to village panchayats, he said it would vitiate the atmosphere in village schools and affect the studies of students. He said another decision regarding the discontinuance of post graduate classes from state colleges was unwise and called for an immediate review. He further alleged that the Chautala government was implicating its political opponents in “false” cases to settle personal scores and to demoralise them. UNI |
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Bhajan Lal, Birender
join hands Hisar, June 3 The occasion was a civic reception for Mr Birender Singh on his nomination to the Central Election Committee of the Congress. The Congress election panel has been revived by the party president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, after a gap of 20 years. The reception was organised by Mr Birender Singh’s supporters. Significantly, senior leaders of the district unit of the party owing allegiance to the HPCC chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, stayed away from the function. The newfound friendship between the two is expected to give a new twist to the infighting in the Haryana Congress. Mr Birender Singh is an old ally of Mr Hooda and the two had led a campaign against Mr Bhajan Lal when he was the Chief Minister between 1991 to 1996. However, they parted ways when Mr Hooda was elevated to the post of the HPCC president. Mr Bhajan Lal, who presided over the function, said together they would work for strengthening the party in the state, adding that they never had any political differences though there were occasions when they held different views on various issues. Even as the former Chief Minister continued to harp on unity and strengthening of the party in Haryana, he did not even once make any reference to the state party chief. He said people now wanted the Congress to dislodge the Chautala government though they had not heeded to his warnings during the campaigning for the assembly poll. He said Mr Chautala was misusing the state’s resources for petty politicking in Uttar Pradesh. He said it would be in the fitness of things if the Chief Minister instead chose to pay attention to the problems of Haryana. Mr Bhajan Lal said the law and order situation in Haryana had been deteriorating steadily. Ruling party workers were indulging in crime while the police looked the other way. There was an acute shortage of water and power despite the fact that the rates for both had been jacked up several times. He said the Congress alone could provide a government which would devote itself to solving the peoples problems. He bitterly criticised Mr Chautala for maintaining silence on the SYL canal issue despite exploiting it for his personal benefit at the time of the elections. The former Chief Minister said the Congress would strive to get the project completed when it came to power. In his speech Mr Bhajan Lal lavished praise on Mr Birender Singh describing him as a seasoned politician, an able minister and a friend of the people. Likewise, Mr Birender Singh in his speech spared no effort to project Mr Bhajan Lal as his senior. He maintained that even though he was once removed from the Bhajan Lal Cabinet, he never had political differences with the former Chief Minister. He said even when they had differences of opinion they never stooped low. He sought Mr Bhajan Lal’s blessings for launching a campaign to rid the Congress of casteist elements. Pointing to Mr Bhajan Lal and Congress legislator and industrialist Om Prakash Jindal who was also seated on the dais, Mr Birender Singh said if the two blessed him with their support he could revive the party and rid it of casteism once for all. He too made no reference to Mr Hooda in his speech and the importance of his stress on “casteist elements’’ was not lost on the audience. The Congress leader said Mr Chautala had resorted to bribing during the elections when thousands were sanctioned old age pension on the eve of elections and later their names were deleted from the rolls on the pretext of ineligibility. This was just an election gimmick, he alleged. Condemning the Chief Minister for “political vendetta” against his opponents, he requested Mr Bhajan Lal to lead a delegation of all opposition party leaders to the Governor to submit a memorandum in this regard. |
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1 held for killing
industrialist Panipat, June 3 A case has been registered under Section 302, 307/34 of the IPC and 25/54/59 under the Arms Act at Sadar Police Station Panipat and remanded in police custody for 10 days by the court today. The other three co-accused were also arrested in this case for harbouring the alleged killers and destroying evidences. Hunt is on for the remaining alleged killer who is identified as Rohtash of Sewah village under Chandni Bagh police station, Panipat district. This was disclosed by the Inspector-General of Police, Rohtak Range, Mr Resham Singh at a press conference held here today. He said that the alleged killer was nabbed after 45 minutes of encounter in Parwanoo, in which Panipat police under the charge of Badan Singh Rana arrested the alleged killer Kuldeep of Kalwa village under Pillukhera Police Station in Jind district. He added that four police teams, each headed by a police officer have been sent to different places. The police party surrounded the MIG Flat No. 178 in Sector 4 in Parwanoo, which was taken by the alleged killers four days ago on rent for Rs 4000 per month. The IG said that three police jeeps with more than 12 police personnel cordoned off that house yesterday evening. On seeing the police, the alleged killers fired at police parties and the police returned the fire resulting in arrest of the alleged killer Kuldeep. The other accomplice of the accused escaped. The two arrested for harbouring the alleged killers in Pahda village for two days after conducting the crime were Jai Singh alias “Pala Fouji” son of Roop Singh resident of Pahda village under Police Station Assandh District Karnal and Naresh alias “Moosa” son of Mange Ram residence of Ogandh village under Nisingh Police station Karnal district under Section 216 of the IPC. The third Sandeep son of Jai Singh of Pahda was arrested under Section 201 of the IPC in the destruction of evidence. It is recalled that three unidentified persons armed with pistols came to Pritam Ahuja’s residence on May 23 morning around 8.30 a.m. in numberless Tata Indica car. They parked the car in front of the house and one of them entered the house and fired several rounds at Pritam Ahjua from point blank range. His nephew who tried to grab the alleged killer, also received bullet injuries on his cars and temple. In his attack, Pritam Ahuja died on the spot whereas Gurcharan has been admitted in a private hospital. The alleged criminals escaped. |
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Tension in town over boy’s
death
Kurukshetra, June 3 According to a complaint lodged with the police, when Abhishek (7), son of Mr Mohan Lal Verma, and Deepak (9), son of Mr Inder Verma, both residents of the local Khaataapur mohalla, did not return home by afternoon, their parents, who are brothers, approached the police. Late in the evening, the police was informed that the missing boys were lying unconscious at the back of the local Sheikh Chehli’s tomb. While Abhishek was found dead Deepak was found unconscious. Both of them had sustained multiple injuries. Deepak was immediately rushed to the local LNJP hospital. Meanwhile, hundreds of people assembled in front of the hospital and demanded the arrest of the culprits. Abhishek was a grandson of Mr Radha Krishan, a Municipal Councillor, and was a class III student of Little Angels Schoool. His body was cremated here today. Addressing the mourners, the former district president of the Haryana Beopar Mandal, Mr Makhan Lal, blamed the deteriorating law and order situation in the state for the incident. A former member of the Kurukshetra Improvement Trust, Mr Abinashi Lal Arora, demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits. The Haryana Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Arora, also condemned the incident and assured that efforts would be made to nab the culprits at the earliest possible. He suggested to constitute a five-member committee to help the district administration in the case. Meanwhile, the old vegetable market shopkeepers observed a complete strike in protest against the incident. Speaking to this correspondent, the district police chief, Mr Desraj Singh, said Deepak Verma told the police that he and Abhishek were playing with a third boy. They had an altercation with him following which he pushed them in to a ditch from a height of about 15 metres resulting in the death of Abhishek and injuries to him, the police chief added. Mr Desraj Singh further said the police was trying to trace the boy responsible for the incident. |
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Gangraped woman
missing Rohtak, June 3 An FIR is yet is yet to be registered by the police, despite a complaint made by Dalbir of the same village in this connection. According to information, a mentally challenged woman was abducted by five drunken youths in a matador from the Lakhan Majra bus stand. She was allegedly gang-raped and released in the village the next morning. She was seen by some villagers in a half-naked position. She then removed her clothes and paraded on the roads for nearly two hours. Later, she was provided clothes by some villagers and the matter was reported to the police. Since then she has not been spotted. The police allegedly ignored the incident and did not even register the case. It was only after the matter was brought to his notice that the IGP, Mr Resham Singh, ordered the Special Task Force (STF) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the incident and submit a report within 24 hours. The STF submitted its report to the IGP on May 29 confirming the crime. After the preliminary inquiry, the SSP, Mr Attar Singh Ahlawat, shifted the in charge of Lakhan Majra police post and handed over the investigation to the DSP, Meham. |
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Providing vaccination at affordable
rates Gurgaon, June 3 A large number of persons like Rani, whose family falls in the below-poverty-line category, attended a camp organised today by Manav Chetna Vinyas
(MANAV) a charitable trust, to administer vaccination at subsidised rates. They wish that more private organisations take up such health-related activities, considering the apathy of the government in providing hepatitis-B vaccination and the opportunistic tendencies among private practitioners who fleece the public for the vaccination. The charitable trust provides vaccination to children below 10 years at the rate of Rs 25 each and for adults at double the rate. The fifth camp organised by MANAV since April was held today. MANAV will continue to hold vaccination camps in and around Gurgaon till April next year. The chief of
MANAV, Mr Rupesh Jain, said the organisation planned to provide vaccinations free of cost to primary schoolchildren in and around Gurgaon. He said the organisation’s target was to vaccinate 1 lakh persons during the current financial year. The earlier four camps were organised in the Community Centre of Sector-4, Geeta Bhavan (New Colony), Rajendera Park and Jain Mandir at Mahavir Chowk. So far about 3,000 persons have registered themselves at the camps. |
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UHBVN detects 1,367 power theft cases Yamunanagar, June 3 Stating this here today, Mr Rajiv Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, said the Nigam had checked 51,277 connections and 66 reports had been lodged against the persons who were involved in power theft. In the previous year, 42,370 connections had been checked of which 313 cases of power theft had been detected and Rs 28.95 lakh recovered from the guilty persons, he said. With the efforts of the vigilance team of the department, about 14 per cent increase in revenue assessed and revenue realised had been achieved during 2000-2001 compared to the last year, Mr Sharma said. He said that in the current financial year the revenue assessed had been Rs 131.70 crore and the revenue realised was Rs 128.81 crore. Mr O.P. Bansal, Superintending Engineer, Yamunanagar Circle, UHBVN, said the power supply situation in the circle was satisfactory. The average daily consumption of electricity during May 2001, had been about 27 lakh units as against 25 lakh units in May, 2000. |
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Felling of trees on the rise Narnaul, June 3 It is learnt that this illegal activity goes on in connivance with the Forest Department. The most targeted tree is the Janti tree which is considered a useful tree for burning in the hearths or furnaces. It is also a source of nutricious food for camels, goats and supplies rich fodder in the form of green leaves.
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No headway in businessman’s murder case Panipat, June 3 Many a prominent citizen of the town has expressed astonishment over the presence of a large number of VIPs, including former ministers, MLAs and serving government officers at Ahuja’s cremation. The police has reportedly recovered a diary from Pritam Ahuja’s bedroom in which names of over a number of IPS officers are mentioned. According to information, the police has also started identifying the VIPs who had attended the cremation. It is suspected that the fate of police investigation is likely to remain the same as has been in the murder at Jhattipur in which an industrialist Banarasi Dass and his wife Shimla Devi were murdered in factory premises on January 17. The suspected killers, Rohtas of Sewah village in the district and Kuldeep of Kalwa village in Jind district, are wanted by the police. |
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Threat from prison cell Jind, June 3
Seven killed in two mishaps Faridabad, June 3 The killed persons were identified as Rattan Singh, Sukh Ram, Dhan Singh and
Janoj. Three persons — Hira Lal, Lakki and Gambhir — were crushed under a train at the Badkhal Bata Ballabgarh rail crossing. |
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500 take part in recruitment
rally Panchkula, June 3 On the first day of the rally, preliminary physical tests were held. Candidates who were selected would be called for the physical efficiency test. All the tests were conducted in the presence of Mr Manoj Yadav, SP, Panchkula, and other senior police officials.
The Haryana Armed Police will recruit 1600 male and 85 female constables. |
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Senior secondary
exam schedule Bhiwani, June 3 |
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