Chandigarh, September 20
An unholy alliance among unscrupulous rice millers, arhtiyas(commission agents) and officials of government procurement agencies is not only cheating paddy growers but also making a dent in the public exchequer.

The nexus thrives on the minimum support price (MSP), designed to help the growers so that they do not have to resort to distress sale of their produce.

However, unscrupulous elements in the rice trade use the MSP to exploit the growers. For the past several years, the millers in Haryana usually prefer to go for custom milling of paddy, rather than buying their own paddy. This not only insures them against the vagaries of the market but also they do not have to invest their own money.

In custom milling, the paddy is procured by official agencies and given to millers to mill it on their behalf. The millers get the milling charges of Rs 15 per quintal. They are also free to sell the byproducts generated by the rice milling in the open market. Trade sources say more than the milling charges, it is the sale of byproducts like rice husk and rice bran (polish) which makes custom milling lucrative for the millers.

With a virtual race among them to get the maximum share of paddy for custom milling, the millers pay over and above the MSP to the arhtiyas to deliver the paddy to them on behalf of the procurement agencies, whose officials seldom visit the mandis to purchase paddy. The officials allow the millers to purchase paddy on their behalf.

The amount paid by the millers in excess of the MSP to the arhtiyas is not passed on to the grower, who is paid only the MSP. The agencies pay to the arhtiyas who make further payment to the growers.

In another malpractice, the millers get bills from the arhtiyas for the paddy which is never purchased by them on behalf of the agencies. The agencies make the payment to the arhtiyas against this “false” purchase. The arhtiyas pass on this money, running into lakhs, to the millers after deducting their commission of 2.5 per cent.

The millers get the milling charges, depreciation on packing material and part of handling charges even on the paddy which was purchased only on paper.

The officials, the sources say, charge Re 1 to Rs 2 per quintal, depending upon the financial standing of the millers. In between also, the officials continue to take money from the millers, as and when required, in the name of physical verification of the stock, which never existed.

The sources say initially the practice was limited to those millers, who owned “arahat” establishments also in the mandis because it was easy to operate with two sister concerns. Later, the practice spread to other millers and arhtiyas also.

Chandigarh, September 20
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said the government had initiated the process to fill vacancies in the transport department, including those of drivers and conductors, and these would be filled shortly.

The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating the Government Central Workshop-cum-Ministers Car Section in Phase-II of the Industrial Area here today. It is spread over 2.09 acres and has been constructed at a cost of Rs.3.47 crore. Hooda said there was a time when the state roadways was the best in the country and now it would have to be made number one. He appreciated the good work being done by the staff of the state roadways department.

Transport minister Mange Ram Gupta said although the plot for this workshop was allotted in 1982, it had taken a long time to complete the project. However, he appreciated the department for constructing the building of the workshop within a short time.

Financial commissioner and principal secretary (transport) G. Prasanna Kumar said about 800 buses were being procured by the Haryana Roadways during the current year.

He said while 600 buses would be replaced with these new buses, 200 more would be added to the fleet. He said that these 800 buses included 160 CNG buses.

Earlier, Hooda went around the workshop to see the various facilities provided for vehicles.

The building comprises a basement with parking space for about 50 cars and the ground floor has 10 shops for repair and maintenance purposes like machine shop, tyre shop, engine shop, electric shop, upholstery shop, paint shop and body repair shop. 

Rohtak, September 20
In accordance with an announcement made by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the procedure to develop a new town near Sampla township in the district has begun. The outlines of the Draft Development Plan Sampla- 2021 have been finalised. The Chief Minister had announced three new towns near Gannaur, Sampla and Badli-Jahangirpur.

In a press statement issued here today, deputy commissioner R.S. Doon said this new town would come up on the eastern side of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Express Highway. “Apart from the residential, commercial, industrial, transportation and communication facilities, the proposed town will also have a cyber-city, a medi-city and a bioscience city,” he said.

The proposed town will also have a separate railway station and a bypass road on the National Highway No. 10. It will also house six special industrial sectors and a city centre. Stating that 10 control areas had been announced in this regard, the deputy commissioner asked the officials of the departments concerned to chalk out the provisions for drinking water, drainage, sewerage and power supply.

A meeting held today in this regard was also attended by Jhajjar deputy commissioner Vijay Singh Dahiya, Rohtak SDM Mukul Kumar and other officials.

Chandigarh, September 20
The Haryana government has prepared a Rs 7 crore plan to improve power supply in Gurgaon district.

The plan envisages setting up of a 220-KV substation and seven 66-KV substations, besides augmenting the capacity of the existing six 66-KV substations in the district.

A spokesman of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam here today said the 220-KV substation was being set up at Daultabad village. After commissioning of this project, the 220-KV substation at IMT Manesar and four 66-KV substations at Harsaru village, Sector 9, 10 and 23 would be fed power from the Daultabad substation, which would improve the availability of power. The substation is likely to be commissioned by October end.

He said the construction work of a 66-KV substation at Sector 9 was near completion. This substation would benefit consumers of Sector 9, 10 and adjoining areas.

Rewari, September 20
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on M/s Superior Industries Ltd, Faridabad, manufacturer and supplier of beer, for deficiency in service and unfair trade practice.

The amount of the fine is to be paid to the aggrieved petitioner, Ishwar Singh of Lodhana village, near here, as compensation.

Ishwar Singh purchased 12 bottles of beer from an English wine shop here on September 9, 2006. The beer, which was allegedly found to contain filthy material, was served to guests at a party hosted by him on September 10, 2006. Several guests were taken ill after consuming the beer.

On September 19, 2006, Ishwar Singh filed a petition in the consumer forum, seeking relief and justice for him. He also presented before the forum a sealed bottle of contaminated beer.

Yamunanagar, September 20
A man belonging to the Dalit community carrying his nine-year-old daughter with bandages on both her legs reached the deputy commissioner’s office today and alleged that his daughter was beaten up by the head teacher of her school yesterday. He demanded action against the head teacher.

Kiranpal of Peeruwala village of Bilaspur block alleged that his daughter Kajal was beaten up by the head teacher yesterday as she had remained absent from school from several days.

The head teacher, Shiv Charan, however, refuted the allegations and claimed that he had only scolded her for remaining absent.

“My daughter was suffering from fever and that was why she did not go to school for several days. The head teacher thrashed Kajal and there were injury marks on her body,” claimed Kiranpal.

He said the teacher sent some students of the school to his house to call Kajal to school. Kajal is a class IV student at the government school in the village.

According to Kiranpal, the teacher used a stick to beat his daughter. “She got unconscious and fell. Her mother went to the school and carried her home,” he said. She was taken to the PHC in Bilaspur for treatment.

Bhiwani, September 20
Shopkeepers of the local Hansi Chowk market pulled down their shutters in the afternoon today protesting against the thrashing of a shopkeeper by some persons.

Sources said few youths entered a PCO and forced the owner to allow their entry with a girl, which was rejected by the latter.

This infuriated the youths, who then misbehaved with the owner and beat him up.

Later, neighbouring shopkeepers raised anti-administration slogans and closed their establishments demanding arrest of the culprits.

The shopkeepers said they would call for a Bhiwani bandh if the police did not book the culprits.

Chandigarh, September 20
An NGO, World Human Rights Protection Council, today took up the cause of Pawan and Kavita, who fell victim to the diktats of the khap panchayat, which not only forced them to live as brother and sister but also separated their 10-day-old son from them.

Shaken by this mindless cruelty having its origin in ‘gotra’ shackles, leading lawyer and chairman of the NGO, Ranjan Lakhanpal, moved the high court seeking directions to the home secretary, DGP, Karnal SP and the SP, Panchkula, to unite the beleagured couple with their infant son.

He prayed that the couple be allowed to stay as husband and wife besides, providing them protection of their 20-day-old son.

Chandigarh, September 20
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will visit Haryana on October 7 to lay the foundation stones of three prestigious projects.

Announcing this at a press conference here today, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said she would also address a rally — ‘bijli rally’— at Jhajjar on that day.

Hooda said Sonia Gandhi would first lay the foundation stone of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) at Kundli in Sonepat district. Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) had allotted 100 acres of land for this institute, he said.

Hooda said the institute would undertake research and development in food technology, develop new products, set food standards and protocol for testing, and train people in food technology, management and entrepreneurship.

At Jhajjar, she would lay the foundation stone of Indira Gandhi Super Thermal Power Project of 1,500-MW capacity (three units of 500 MW each). He said it would be the first mega power plant of North India and would be executed by National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) as a joint venture with the Delhi government and Haryana government. Haryana would get 750 MW of power from this project.

While its first unit would be commissioned on April 15, 2010, the second would be commissioned on June 15, 2010 and the third unit on August 15, 2010.

Consumers residing within a radius of 10 km of the plant would get uninterrupted power supply. Employment would also be provided to those whose land had been acquired on the basis of their qualifications, Hooda said.

The Chief Minister said thereafter Sonia Gandhi would visit Rewari to lay the foundation stone of 73.36 km long Rewari-Jhajjar-Rohtak broad gauge railway line to be constructed at a cost of Rs 330.23 crore.

The Chief Minister said Sonia Gandhi would also unveil a statue of the late Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in Rewari. 

Karnal, September 20
Congress MLA and a Bhajan Lal supporter Rakesh Kamboj said calling Bhajan Lal a traitor in the Vidhan Sabha yesterday was uncalled for and persons who point fingers at him would be given a befitting reply.

Kamboj was speaking at a press conference at his residence here today.

“We are organising a massive rally at Rohtak on December 2. Change is in the air and the present government is on its last legs,” he said.

He said Kuldeep Bishnoi’s popularity is growing day by day and wherever he goes there is a huge turnout, which clearly shows how much respect the people of Haryana have for Bhajan Lal and his family.

On the setting up of a committee to probe the 1994 Yamuna water agreement, Kamboj said Bhajan Lal, who was the chief minister then, was instrumental in completing 90 per cent of the SYL canal. “Bhajan Lal’s contribution to Haryana cannot be measured. That is why his detractors are working overtime to defame him so that he does not get the credit for the good work he has done,” said Kamboj.

“The CID is keeping a watch on me around the clock. I suspect they are even tapping my phones,” he said.

Kamboj said the MLA who called Bhajan Lal a traitor should have been made to shut up by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

“Congress MLAs who want to join the Bhajan Lal camp are welcome to do so before December 2. But after that date even if they want they will not be accommodated,” he said.

“MLAs who are close to Hooda and were not made ministers are angry with him and ready to desert his camp,” claimed Kamboj.

Chandigarh: Krishan Murti Hooda, a supporter of Bhajan Lal, on Thursday reacted sharply to the allegation levelled by irrigation minister Ajay Singh Yadav in the Vidhan Sabha that the former Chief Minister had harmed the interests of Haryana while signing the 1994 Yamuna water accord. Yadav had also alleged that the final agreement signed by Bhajan Lal was at variance with that approved by the cabinet.

In a statement issued here, Krishan Murti, who was a minister in the Bhajan Lal cabinet, said the allegation was baseless and intended to defame the former Chief Minister. He said Yadav was a member of the cabinet when the accord was signed. He should have protested then and quit the ministry.

Krishan Murti said the present government was blaming the previous governments in order to cover up its failures and in an attempt to regain popular support. Even the present Chief Minister was an MP when the accord was signed. If the state’s interests had been harmed, Bhupinder Singh Hooda should have quit Parliament. He said since the agreement was approved by the cabinet, Yadav could not escape responsibility because the cabinet had collective responsibility.

He alleged that those who were criticising Bhajan Lal today had taken undue benefits from him when he was in power. He threatened to “expose” such persons at an appropriate time. 

Bhiwani, September 20
Taking view of the agitations by students and villagers to press for their long-standing demand of resuming bus service on the Dadri-Loharu road, the district administration today indicated that the service would be resumed within a week.

Deputy commissioner T.L. Satya Prakash here today said the panchayats of three villages - Atela Kalan, Atela Khurd and Atela Naya - had assured Charkhi Dadri MLA Major Nripender Singh of extending their full cooperation in the service of roadways buses to be plied on this route.

The district administration had stopped the bus service on the Dadri-Badhra-Loharu road after the August 24 incident, when some anti-social elements had blocked the road at Atela village and had also burnt two roadways buses.

The students and villagers had been facing difficulties to travel to other villages, as they had to fetch private vehicles to reach to their destinations.

The panchayats of the above three villages have been trying to convince the administration for resuming the bus service on this route, but the latter wanted a verbal undertaking from the panchayats before resuming the service.

After visiting Khanak mines area today, he said buying-selling had been prohibited for the 38-hectare land around Khanak mines, which had been kept as safe zone by the mines and forest department.

Jind, September 20
The drug-control authorities have unearthed a racket of illegal sale of drugs by a chemist at the Safidon gate here. The chemist shop was being run by proxy and did not maintain the record of sale and purchase of drugs and medicines for the past over two years.

The drugs, which require proper prescription by a medical practitioner and which can be used for getting a “kick” by addicts, were allegedly being sold from here.

During the raid, that followed a complaint, many brands of cough syrups were seized. These syrups were being sold without prescription. 

Yamunanagar, September 20
At least 15 persons, including women, were injured in three different group clashes here today.

About 40-50 motorcycle borne youths reached Ratanpura village this afternoon to settle an old score with Jasmer Rana, a resident of the village. They started pelting stones on Rana’s house and also attacked those who tried to pacify them. They also damaged property in other houses of the village, including that of the sarpanch.

The police arrested seven of them while the others fled.

In another incident Prem Chand of Surajgarh alleged that in-laws of his daughter today attacked him and his relatives with batons and bricks, when he went to her daughter’s house along with Leelawati, Jaswinder Singh, Gurdeep Singh and Mahinder Singh to discuss a matter related with the proposed marriage 
of his son.

He had married his daughter Kuldeep Kaur to Jasbir of Bhura ka Majra about 12 years ago, he said.

All injured were then taken to a hospital.

In another incident, a group of villagers belonging to Ismailpur village of Sadhoura today objected to the demarcation of a piece of land belonging to the panchayat citing stay order of a court.

An altercation between the sarpanch’s supporters and the other group turned violent and they allegedly attacked each other. About seven persons were injured in the clash.

Jind, September 20
Hundreds of residents of Padana village in the district staged a demonstration here outside the Mini-Secretariat this morning in protest against the alleged police failure to trace a youth who has been missing since September 5.

The villagers fear that the youth may have been murdered. The protesters blocked the road connecting Jind with Gohana for about one and a half hours. The blockade was lifted after the intervention of the district authorities.

According to reports, the youth, Umed, son of Ranjit Singh of Padana village, had sold a tractor to Surender of Kharakramji village and the latter had asked him to come to the city here to collect the balance amount of payment on September 5.

It is stated that Umed did not return home since then and the person who had called is also not available since then.

Ranjit alleged that despite the complaint lodged with the police, no action had been taken either to trace Umed or to arrest Surender.

He fears that his son may have been murdered with a view to usurping the money. He said Umed had bought a tractor recently against a loan for an amount of Rs 4.70 lakh, but decided to sell it to Surender after a few days.

The protesters, who came on their tractors, blocked the main road outside the district headquarters here and demanded immediate action to trace the youth and arrest of the accused. 

Sirsa, September 20
A former disciple of the dera has demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged murder of former dera manager Fakir Chand, said the police in an inquiry report of the case, which was today sent to the IG Hisar (Range).

The IG had marked an inquiry to the police acting on the complaint of Raj Kumar.

The complainant alleged that Fakir Chand, who had disappeared under mysterious circumstances from the dera years ago, was actually murdered and demanded detailed probe into the matter.

The complainant, who remained dera’s disciple for 20 years, said former driver of the dera chief Gobind in revelation to a private news channel said Fakir Chand was murdered. The complainant also demanded a probe in the other two cases of similar nature.

Ambala, September 20
Health department officials are trying to confirm whether Pushplata, the woman who died in Military Hospital yesterday, was suffering from diarrhoea.

While the family members of Pushplata today claimed that she was suffering from diarrhoea, health department officials intend to have a look at the Military Hospital medical record before coming to any conclusion.

Pushplata was a resident of Sikligar Mohalla in Ambala Sadar. Her husband Banarsi Das has retired from the Air Force. District health officer Dr V.K. Sharma said that on receiving report about the death of Pushplata they had contacted Military Hospital to see the medical records.

“We were told to send an official letter about this. So, SMO Civil Hospital Dr V.K. Gupta has been asked to send the official letter to the Military Hospital. The exact reason for the death will be known only after studying the hospital’s medical records,” he said. Meanwhile, four patients came to the Civil Hospital with diarrhoea complaints today. Yesterday, ten patients had come with similar complaints. Most of the patients, who were hospitalised, have been discharged from the hospital.