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April 21, 2002, Chandigarh, India
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An ‘eye-witness’
surfaces in Natasha case, New Delhi, April 20 The woman, who claimed that she was a teacher in one of the NDMC schools, arrived at the police headquarters last week and insisted that she had to see senior crime branch officers. She refused to budge or talk to junior officers investigating the death. The senior officers finally relented and talked to her at length and even accepted some papers that she had brought with her. While the police refused to comment on the development, sources said that the woman was unable to explain her presence at the five star hotel late on the night of March 16 and what was she doing on the seventh floor terrace. The woman also claimed that she was facing threats to her life because of this. The body of Natasha Singh was found sprawled on the first floor terrace of the Hyatt Regency hotel on March 17; it was concluded that she had died as a result of a fall from a height. The two subsequent post-mortem examinations had confirmed this. Initially, the sensational death of the former model-turned-photographer was investigated by the South West District Police but since there was considerable media attention, it was transferred to the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police. Two weeks after her death, senior police officers, including the police commissioner, Ajai Raj Sharma, had claimed that all evidence indicated that it was suicide and the police would officially announce it soon. Senior police officers, when contacted by the NCR Tribune, said that they had no comment to offer on the claims of the unidentified woman and dismissed the incident as “hallucinations” as the antecedents of the woman had been verified. However, further investigations were continuing and the police would act accordingly. |
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Diesel buses to ply after deadline?
New Delhi, April 20 As per the Supreme Court’s April five order, operators who had booked CNG buses had to purchase the chassis within 15 days, failing which their special permits would be cancelled. Stating that the government had taken the decision in the interest of the commuters, Mr Maken said “It was the fault of the manufacturing companies that they have failed to supply the buses ordered.’’ Mr Maken said they had decided to move the Supreme Court against the manufacturing companies for not supplying the CNG buses. ``Now, after seeking legal opinion, we have decided to place the issue before the court during its next hearing on May 9,’’ he said. According to Mr Maken, the decision to allow the plying of diesel buses after the expiry of the deadline set by the court would not be violative of the Supreme Court’s order. He said that the government came to this conclusion, after discussing the legal implications with senior advocate Kapil Sibal. TNS
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Former BJP councillor shot at New Delhi, April 20 Mr Valmiki, who received four bullet injuries, was taken to Ganga Ram Hospital where his condition is reported to be out of danger. The police suspect political rivalry as the cause of the incident; Mr Valmiki had serious differences on a land issue, which belonged to the railway lines. He later identified one Ramesh Pahelwan as the person who fired at him and alleged the hand of another person, Harbhajan Singh, in the operation. The ex-councillor, a resident of Ranjit Nagar, was staying at the temple near the railway lines as the Navratra celebrations are on. The police said that around 8.30 am when Mr Valmiki went for his morning walk, three persons fired at him and fled from the spot. The police have registered a case of attempt to murder and are trying to track down the assailants. |
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Is it curtains for Sonepat units? Sonepat, April 20 Some entrepreneurs said that it was a matter of deep concern that over the years the government agencies had failed to discharge their duties. They were losing patience and may move court. For instance, the condition of the roads was pathetic. Time and again, the authorities had come up with proposals to repair the pot-holed roads, but heaven knows where the money goes. The craters in the roads have caused many an accident. The condition of the sewer lines was equally poor, which remain perpetually choked. Besides, official red-tapism was the bane of the district. Many entrepreneurs blamed the general manager of the District Industries Centre (DIC) for the mess. They alleged that the authorities had been indifferent and harassing them on one pretext or the other for minting money. The single-window system introduced by the state government had failed. Several industrialists of the HSIDC complexes at Kundli, Rai and Bari villages complained that the authorities had failed to solve their problems. Instead, they were harassing them. Several leading industrialists demanded immediate transfer of all the officials of the Industries Department as well as the HSIDC. As one enters the interiors, one sees a large number of signboards proclaiming the existence of hundreds of small-scale industries. But most of them have been abandoned and closed for good. Experts blame both the attitude of industrialists and the lack of finances. First, several unscrupulous businessmen set up a façade of infrastructure and availed of loans for working capital needs. In the process, deserving entrepreneurs were denied their due. |
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Rs 30 lakh fine for
power theft Faridabad, April 20 According to Mr Prem Singh, Executive Engineer (XEN) of the old Faridabad division, the factory located at Tilpat village had been using a 200 KVA transformer, concealed in an underground chamber, to steal power. He said that a raid was conducted on the premises of Bimla Ice factory on Friday following a report that power was being tapped illegally. During the search, the underground power cable to the factory was dug up. It was found that another connection had been taken from a t-point and a separate cable had been laid. The cable led to the basement of the factory where the transformer had been hidden. The only way to access this chamber was through a steel almirah kept in a room in the factory. The almirah, built in true filmy style, had a trap door which was hidden behind clothes stacked in the almirah. The owner would descend into the basement through this ‘almirah’; there was no other way to reach the underground transformer. The DHBVN officials, who raided the premises, were amazed at the subterfuge. They have imposed a penalty of Rs 30 lakh and warned that if it is not deposited within 48 hours, they would be constrained to lodge an FIR with the police. |
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3 shot dead in Bahadurgarh
Jhajjar, April 20
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Trader-buyer nexus robs farmers of MSP Sonepat, April 20 An interesting fact that has come to light is that small and medium farmers are being offered Rs 550 to Rs 580 per quintal in their fields by private traders on the plea that there are numerous problems at the mandis. And several farmers, who have only 10 to 50 quintals of surplus wheat, prefer to sell their wheat to such traders as they do not want to go through the harassment at the mandis and to incur extra expenses on transporting the produce. Another point brought to the notice of the officials is that the farmers producing other rabi crops like sarson and barley are forced to sell their produce to private hands much below the MSP. The president of the Haryana unit of the Janata Dal (U), Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, said in a statement today that the state government had not started procurement of sarson and barley officially. Claiming that there was large-scale production of such crops in southern Haryana, the farmers were having a tough time regarding sale. He said that 65 to 70 per cent of sarson purchased so far had been bought by the private traders while only 30 to 35 per cent by some marketing societies. Meanwhile, about 44,302 tonnes of wheat have arrived in the mandis of the district so far which is 26,948 tonnes more than the arrivals during the corresponding period last year. Of these, 23,627 tonnes of wheat had been purchased by HAFED, 12,047 tonnes by the Food and Supplies Department, 4,578 tonnes by the FCI, 3,359 tonnes by CONFED, 520 tonnes by the Haryana Warehousing Corporation and 128 tonnes by the Haryana Agro Corporation. |
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Three cops hurt in clash over
harvesting Panipat, April 20 According to eyewitnesses, several policemen were attacked by the residents of Sapat village with lathis and sharp-edged weapons. They were also fired at with country-made pistols by over 100 residents of Sapat village. Three policemen, Sant Lal (ASI) and constables Naresh and Ramesh, were injured in the melee. The Yamuna river, which changes its course every rainy season, was to be blamed for this ongoing dispute, as every year scores of acres of the land was transferred to the jurisdiction of either Panipat or Muzaffarnagar districts. It led to bloody clashes between the farmers on the two sides every year and the problem had defied solution for a number of years now. At the bottom of the dispute this year was the wheat crop of about 72 acres of the land on the Haryana-UP border which several villages on either side claim as their own. Sapat and Mirzapur alone share a dispute over at least 25 acres of land. It had been alleged here that the farmers of Sapat village, caring little for the directive of the authorities, had already harvested the wheat crop of about 8 acres of land. On Friday, this village resembled a police cantonment as a large police force along with wheat harvesting machines descended on the disputed land to harvest the crops. Even as they started harvesting the crops, over 100 farmers from the Sapat side attacked the police personnel. The policemen had to beat a hasty retreat as fire was allegedly opened on them. The cops were at the receiving end, as the armed farmers from Sapat Meanwhile, senior police officers of the district, including the Superintendent of Police, Ms Mamata Singh, visited the village to take stock of the situation. Sources said the matter was to be taken up with the senior police and civil officials of UP. Moreover, cases were to be registered against unidentified persons for attack on the cops.
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Jhajjar experiment in empowering people a success Jhajjar, April 20 According to this experimental arrangement, the sarpanch is authorised as a supervisory institution who can visit the office of the aforementioned employees any time during office hours to check their presence. In case any staff member is not on duty, he can mark his absence in the attendance register. He can nominate any other panch (member) in his place in case he is not available in the village on a particular day or days. The government employees posted at these places have been instructed to get the signatures of the authorised village panchayat representative when he went out on official tours outside their jurisdiction and in case the authorised person is illiterate, the employee must have his thumb impression after reading out his tour programme to him. The government officials are also given immunity to appeal to the gram panchayat if he has any objection on marking his absence on a particular day by the authorised person within three days and against the decision of the panchayat before the Deputy Commissioner within a week. Above all, the salaries of these employees will be released only after he got the duty certificate from the sarpanch or the panchayat representative at the end of the month. The Deputy Commissioner will be calling meetings of the panchayat and the affected employees to review the functioning from time to time. When this correspondent contacted the sarpanch of Sasroli village, Mr Rajender Singh, to get his reaction to this new measure, he confidently replied that things had changed dramatically now. He informed that though the staff at the sub-station showed only a minor improvement in the first few days after this arrangement commenced on April 1, the were no more work-shy. He said that he visits their office daily to mark their attendance. Earlier, whenever any villager approached them with his complaint, either they were found absent or did not attend to his complaint, he said. “I decided to raise the issue in the open darbar held in Matanhale village and the DC saab give me all the powers to rein in the lethargic staff,” he says, adding that so far this arrangement has been successful. The experiment being tried out in Badli village has also started showing results as the services there have become better now. The Deputy Commissioner himself is very enthusiastic about the experiment, saying, “It makes the public servants accountable to the public in a direct way along with empowering the people in the true spirit of democracy”. He believes that the representatives of the people, who reside among the electorate and who are responsible for their deeds to them for lifetime, could be more effective guardians of the interests of the local people and they could do better monitoring of the functioning of the government servant at their disposal. However, certain sections of the people have apprehensions about the experiment. They asserted that the village sarpanch or his nominee could be a person with doubtful integrity and could mislead higher authorities. However, the DC, at present, is a little wary about this experiment but certainly not on this count. His apprehensions zero in on the political settings, which most of the employees enjoy, in the form of employees’ unions and local political bosses, who are always ready to take head-on whoever dare to bring any change in their positions. The DC said that with this silent experiment, he had only tried to give back the people what they had been deprived of so far. Mr Khemka said that he had also applied this experiment
successfully in improving the sanitary conditions in Jhajjar town where the municipal councillors had been allotted Rs 8,000 per month and instructed to engage sweepers at their own level for cleaning the streets and lifting the garbage. |
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SEARCH WITHIN During the recent month-long strike by the state government employees and teachers in Kerala, Chief Minister A. K. Antony remarked that the people would not miss much if the government offices remained closed for a month or longer. Comments, which appeared in the electronic and print media, were far more critical of the ways these offices function. The conclusion was that the staff ate up a major part of the state’s annual revenue — 60 per cent of the state’s income was used for payment of salaries of staff — and were of little benefit to the people whom they were intended to serve. The other day, Kerala’s Minister of Forest and Sports K. Sudhakaran spoke to a small gathering in Delhi on the topic: ‘Kerala: hopes and apprehensions’. Today, there are more apprehensions than hopes in the minds of Keralites about their state and what the minister stated must set us all thinking as to where we are heading. Kerala has a debt liability of Rs 30,000 crore. Its annual budget has a deficit usually ranging from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 1,500 crore. Nearly 98 of its 110 public sector undertakings are running in loss. The cheques issued by it had bounced and few financial institutions believe in its credit worthiness. On the social scene, divorces and suicides are on the increase. Not anything to be happy about for a state trumpeted as a role model by even the United Nations! What he spoke about Kerala applies to some other states as well where unproductive expenditure, doles and subsidies, besides staff salaries ate up a good part of the revenue. Red-tapism and corruption, pilferage and wastage marked the way public funds are utilised. General apathy and want of accountability on the part of politicians and bureaucrats and entrenched old habits frustrate all possibilities of reform. It is time to wake up and change ways and attitudes in governmental functioning. In Kerala, the minister said that the government owes so much to so many, that court orders are issued very often to attach property like vehicles and furniture. Vehicles are hidden from court officials to avert their seizure! At last, the state is reaping what it has sown: militant trade unionism, a work culture that emphasizes too much on rights and too little on responsibilities, losing public sector units, wastage of all sorts and a working class that is least concerned about increasing production or welfare of the general public. We talk of overpopulation, paucity of resources and lack of infrastructure etc as obstacles in the path of economic growth, but are slow to admit that our misery and poverty owe a lot to our poor work culture. Why is it that a person who works hard under a private employer becomes so lethargic and irresponsible once he joins the government? What is it that has gone wrong with our government offices or the way of their functioning? A recent survey has shown that 23.5 lakh files are pending with the Kerala Government and some of the files are more than 10 years old. Mr Sudhakaran spoke more like a preacher than as a politician. And he admitted privately that unless there is a change of heart in its employees, there is no hope for the future. The traditional crafts, industries and agriculture have markedly declined and the state survives on money orders from abroad. A state that spends more than its income and where resources are not productively employed will soon become bankrupt. What makes a government employee so dull, unenterprising and complacent? Is it the absence of a system of rewards and punishment? Or the assurance that regardless of his performance, his job is secure and that the trade union will always come to his rescue? It is no use blaming the employee for all the ailments of governmental functioning. Which self-respecting person will like to exist like a parasite or sponge? But then, what is it that prevents a governmental functionary from giving his best efforts and thoughts to the job at hand? Albert Einstein, the famous scientist, used to observe that the society considers as successful that man, who receives a great deal from his fellowmen, usually incomparably more than corresponds to the service to them. “The value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive,” he maintained. A revolution is called for in the attitudes of those who man all the public and government offices if they are to be of use to the public at large. Ethical behaviour and our obligations to fellow beings demand that we put in honest efforts to justify the wages and privileges that we draw from the government treasury. The following maxim written down by a thinker needs to be hung at every government office or factory in Kerala and everywhere: “One thing I am resolved upon, I will not be a sponge or a parasite. I will give an honest equivalent for what I get. I want no man’s money for which I have not rendered a full return. I want no wages that I have not earned. If I work for any man or any company or any institution, I will render a full, ample, generous service. If I work for the city or the state or the nation, I will give my best thought, my best effort, my most conscientious and efficient endeavour. No man, nobody of men, shall ever be made poorer by their dealings with me. If I can give a little more than I get every time, in that shall be my happiness. The great commonwealth of human society shall not be the loser through me. I will take good care to put into the common fund more than I take out.” (Washington Gladden) M P K KUTTY
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GETTING AWAY With the beginning of the Hindu New Year, it is one of the best times to visit the holy spot, Hardwar, which is the sacred source of the most pious rivers, the Ganga and Yamuna. According to the legend, Prince Bhagirath performed penance here to salvage the souls of his ancestors who had perished due to Sage Kapila’s curse. The penance was answered and the Ganga trickled forth from Lord Shiva’s locks and its bountiful water revived the sons of King Sagara. In the tradition of Bhagirath, devout Hindus stand in the sacred waters here, praying for the salvation of their ancestors. Har ki Pauri King Vikramaditya constructed this sacred ghat in memory of his brother Bhatrihari who, it is believed, had come to Hardwar to meditate on the banks of the Ganga. This ghat later came to be known as Har-Ki-Pauri (also called Brahamakund). At twilight, golden hues of floral diyas reflected in the Ganga present the most enchanting sight. The imprint of Lord Hari’s footprint hallows the riverbank temple here. The ghat is regarded as the most sacred and auspicious point to bathe in the Ganga during the 12-year Kumbh and the six-year Ardh Kumbh. Sapt Sarovar According to the legend, the Saptarshis (seven sages) were deep in meditation here. The Ganga, not wanting to disturb them, split herself into seven streams (Sapt Sarovar) around them. Mansa Devi temple The temple of Goddess Mansa Devi is situated at the top of Bilwa Parvat. The rope-way with its brightly coloured cable cars take devotees to the old hilltop of Mansa Devi. Chandi Devi temple The Chandi Devi temple at the top of Neel Parvat on the Ganga’s banks was built in1929 A.D. by the King of Kashmir, Suchat Singh. A 3-km trek from Chandighat, the main statue is believed to have been installed by the Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century AD. It is at a distance of 6 km on Neel Parvat on the other bank of the river. Maya Devi temple This is an ancient temple of Maya Devi, the Adhisthatri deity of Hardwar, known as one of the Siddhapethas. It is said to be the place where the hearts and navel of Goddess Sati had fallen. Daksha temple The ancient temple of Daksha Mahadev stands in the south Kankhal town. Mythology has it that King Daksha Prajapati, father of Sati (Lord Shiva’s first wife), performed yagya at this place, but didn’t invite Lord Shiva (Mahadev). Feeling insulted, Sati burnt herself in the yagya kund. Provoked by this, the ganas (followers) of Lord Shiva killed King Daksha. Later, Lord Shiva brought him back to life. Aarti Each morning from 5am to 6 am, people join for Aarti. Spirits soar and people give thanks for the new day. Meanwhile, Ganga Aarti is also performed at the time of sunset. This divine light ceremony is filled with devotional songs, prayers, rituals and a palpable sense of the divinity of Mother Ganga. The aarti, an ornate oil lamp, lined with dozens of flames burning in pure ghee is offered to God. Ardh Kumbh &
Kumbh mela Though all the Hindu festivals are celebrated here with pomp and gaiety, it is the Ardh Kumbh and Kumbh Mela which attract the mind of any tourist to this place. The history of Kumbh Mela dates back to the legends about the creation of the universe.
Mythological state that the Gods and the Demons once churned the ocean to retrieve the Kumbh (pot) containing nectar of immortality (Amrit). As Dhanvantri, the divine healer, appeared with the Kumbh containing nectar in her palms, a great fight followed between the Gods and the Demons to wrest the pitcher. During the fierce battle in the sky, a few drops of nectar fell at four different places, Prayag, Hardwar, Nasik and Ujjain. Since then, devotees converge to commemorate this divine event. The Ardh Kumbh is held every six years and after six more years, Kumbh Mela is held. It is said that a holy dip in the Ganga during the Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh gives one Moksha or Nirvana. People gather in huge numbers to take the holy dip during these days. Saints, Naga Sadhus, politicians and almost all sorts of people converge here. The city is overflowing with people. If one is going to Hardwar during the Kumbh or Ardh Kumbh, then it is better to avoid the overcrowded ghats. There have been reports of stampedes and clashes among various factions or Akharas of Sadhus every now and then. Ensure your accommodation well in advance if going during the Kumbh. Kavand mela Ten days before Shivteras (during the months of Shravan and Phagun), thousands of devotees throng Hardwar to collect holy waters of the Ganga. Then they carry it back to their hometown and offer it at the local Shiv temple. Colourful shops spring up and Hardwar resounds with the chanting of hymns then.
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Power generation fails to meet target Faridabad, April 20 The capacity achieved was less than the 54 per cent of the target achieved during the eighth plan. With 34.9 per cent sector wise achievement, it was worst in the northern region of the country. While the targeted capacity generation in the central sector was 5450 MW, the actual addition was mere 1290 MW. The performance of the state sector was slightly better, with the actual generation of 2617 MW, which exceeded the target of 2057 MW. The private sector was the worst performer, with a mere 111 MW additional power generation against a target of 2000 MW. According to Mr Ravi Wig, chairman, Energy Committee of the PHDCCI, reform process needs to be completed at the earliest so as to bring the power sector back to health. He said while Rajasthan, Haryana, U.P. and Delhi had made considerable progress, it should be taken to its logical end in other states of the country. |
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NCR BRIEFS Faridabad, April 20 It is reported that the racket was unearthed after an alcohol licence, prepared by them was taken to the department concerned it was found to be fake. The matter was reported to police, who raided a shop in Dabua area.
Liquor seized As many as 4600 pouches of illegal liquor was seized from a car by the police on Friday. The `Angoori’ brand liquor was seized at the police naka at Dabua Pali road. The liquor, it was learnt, were to be sold in Chandigarh. One person identified as Sanjay was arrested.
Cemit-2002 Panipat Old man killed Ghaziabad Truck looted Jhajjar |
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Students recover from food
poisoning Rewari, April 20 The water tank in the school campus has been chemically disinfected by the health authorities and investigations are on to ascertain the factors that led to the food poisoning. It is reported that soon after taking lunch, some students complained of vomiting as well as loose motions. Gradually, the number of affected students began to rise. They were all taken in batches to the Community Health Centre at Bawal. Medical aid was also rushed from here to Bawal. The students have been discharged and sent back to the school hostel. |
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Book on leadership released New Delhi, April 20
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Electronic goods worth Rs 2.5 lakh seized New Delhi, April 20 He was arrested from M. B. Road near Lado Sarai where he was going on a motorcycle to hand over a few VCD players to somebody. The Anti-Auto Section of the South district received a tip off that he would come to Lado Sarai on a motorcycle to deliver stolen electronic goods to one of his contacts. He was intercepted near Lado Sarai crossing and nabbed. A raid was conducted at his residence in Faridabad and electronic goods like TV, VCR, Video etc worth Rs 2.5 lakh recovered. During interrogation, he disclosed that he had looted the godown of Sansui electronic company in Pune in Maharashtra and brought the goods to Faridabad, the police said. He used to sell the electronic goods to shopkeepers in East and South-West Delhi. In another case, the South-West district police arrested Anil alias Kala from Uttam Nagar and claimed that 12 cases were solved. A country-made pistol, live cartridges and a knife were recovered from him, the police said. Bomb scare at haat:
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