Army ITI inaugurated
AMBALA, Aug 18 — The Army in coordination with Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments proposes to set up two more Industrial Training Institutes at Visakhapatnam and Silliguri on the pattern of the country's first Army ITI which was inaugurated here today.

Rise in investment
under IRDS
CHANDIGARH, Aug 18 — In Haryana, the per capita investment under integrated rural development schemes has touched a new high of Rs 19,920 during 1997-98 as against the prescribed national average of Rs 17,500.

Army ITI inaugurated
From Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, Aug 18 — The Army in coordination with Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments proposes to set up two more Industrial Training Institutes at Visakhapatnam and Silliguri on the pattern of the country's first Army ITI which was inaugurated here today.

After inaugurating the institute, the Chief of the Army Staff, General V.P. Malik, said that in continuation of its thrust towards post retirement settlement of exservicemen, the Army proposes to set up similar ITIs in every state of the country. These ITIs will train exservicemen, their dependents and war widows in accordance with the requirement of the industry of the state concerned.

General Malik said that the ex-servicemen have to attune themselves according to the needs of the civilian sector. And what they learn should be of specific and according to accepted government norms so that they became acceptable to the private sector. At times, their training and experience in the Defence forces was not accepted in the civilian sector for want of recognition of their military experience.

To make them more acceptable, both Army and state governments should coordinate with each other. And the best way to do it is to set up ITIs in each state, the General said. He also mentioned about a notification issued recently by the Union Government for popularising the concept of industrial training. The responsibility would also be on Army to spread the message of industrial training. He said that with the development of technology, for example, the demand for trained electricians and motor mechanics has increased manifold.

Complimenting 2 Corps for starting the ITI within a short span of six months, he said that there was a long way to go. The ITI must move to its own building. The support from Army would not be lacking at any stage, he added.

Earlier, the Haryana Minister for Industrial Training, Mr Brij Mohan Singla reiterated his state government's commitment to provide all necessary financial assistance and cooperation for the completion of new building for the institute which had been functioning for the past six months from makeshift premises. The Haryana Government, he said, had already released a grant of Rs 67 lakh for the purchase of machinery, for setting up of a library and laboratories. The remaining grant of Rs 33 lakh would be released as and when required by the Army authorities, he added.

Lieut-Gen G.S. Sihota, General Officer Commanding, 2 Corps, in his address of welcome said that training in six trades has been started as was necessary to get the ITI recognised. At present there were 110 retiring defence personnel at the institute and were being trained in computer software, welding, electronics, refrigeration, vehicle mechanic and electrician trades. Gradually, the number of trades will be raised to 12 and the strength of students will be raised to 220. In the third and final phase, the number of trades will be increased to 18 with the number of students going to 360. In the third phase, the ITI would be able to admit war widows and dependents of exservicemen.

The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lieut-Gen H.B. Kala, complimented Lieut-Gen S.S. Mehta and Lieut-Gen G.S. Sihota for giving the concept and shape to the country's first Army ITI.

General Malik, accompanied by other Army officers, then visited various sections of the ITI and interacted with retiring defence personnel receiving training in different trades.

Earlier on their arrival at Ambala Air Force Station, General Malik and his wife, Ranjana, were received by Lieut-Gen H.B. Kala, and his wife, Kusum, besides other officers.

Rickshawpuller held in bomb blast case
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

BAHADURGARH, Aug 18 — Raja Ram, the rickshawpuller injured in the bomb blast here on Monday, has been arrested by the police under the Explosives Act.

The Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr A.S. Chawla, said that the rickshawpuller had been giving varying statements about the explosion. The crude bomb was in the left pocket of the rickshawpuller at the time of explosion.

Raja Ram (40) hailed from Allahabad and has been plying rickshaw in this industrial town for the past many years. His antecedents were being varified.

Raja Ram reportedly told the police that the crude bomb might have been put in his pocket by Dharam Dev, alias Lamboo, when he travelled in his rickshaw up to the explosion site. He pleaded ignorance about the bomb.

Dharam Dev, originally hailed from Bihar and was settled here for over a decade. Earlier, he was employed with a local factory but for the past couple of years, he was working as a casual worker with construction contractors.

Dharam Dev, escaped immediately after the explosion. The police was interrogating acquaintances and relatives here.

The police was also investigating whether the crude bomb was given to Raja Ram and his accomplice by someone or they were learning how to manufacture such bombs.

The DCP (Crime) of the Delhi Police, Mr Karnal Singh, also visited the town yesterday to find out if the explosion here had any relation with the explosions in the Union Capital. An inspector-rank police official from Delhi is assisting the local police.

Senior officials from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) also visited the town yesterday and today to ascertain if the terrorists had any links with yesterday's bomb blast and the persons involved in it.

Rise in investment under IRDS
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 18 — In Haryana, the per capita investment under integrated rural development schemes has touched a new high of Rs 19,920 during 1997-98 as against the prescribed national average of Rs 17,500.

Stating this here today the Haryana Development and Panchayat Minister, Mr Kanwal Singh, said with a view to providing wage employment to the rural poor and also to create durable community assets, the Government of India had enhanced the annual allocation of funds under the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana from Rs 1711.60 lakh during 1997-98 to Rs 3239.85 lakh during this year. This would enable the state government to provide employment to more poor people besides creation of community assets in the rural area, he added.

He said the state government would strengthen and upgrade the computer system at all district rural development agencies and the headquarters of the Rural Development at a cost of over Rs 1 crore.

He said the government had received additional funds under Integrated Rural Development Programme. Jawahar Rozgar Yojana and Indira Awas Yojana over and above the annual allocation of funds for the year 1997-98.

He said under the Indira Awas Yojana 541 houses had been completed and work on 1337 was in progress in the state till July last.

CM "misleading people"
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 18 — The Leader of the Opposition in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has accused the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, of misleading the people of the State by claiming that there would not be any increase in the power tariff in the next one year.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Chautala said Mr Bansi Lal had assured the Vidhan Sabha on July 22, 1997, that after the passing of the Haryana Electricity Reforms Act there would be no hike in the power tariff, However, the government increased the power rates by 15 per cent in June, 1998.

Mr Chautala said the Bansi Lal Government had given an undertaking to the World Bank for obtaining the loan of Rs 2400 crore that it would raise power rates by 70 per cent (cumulative) in five years for non-agricultural sectors and by 312 per cent for the agriculture sector.

The HLDR leader said the government should come out with details of items on which it spent the first instalment of the World Bank loan worth Rs 240 crore. He alleged large-scale power theft at the instance of ruling party leaders was responsible for the power crisis in the State.

Meanwhile, the Congress MLA from Rewari, Capt Ajay Singh, has also criticised the State Government for disbanding the HSEB, which, he said, was the first step towards privatisation of the power sector in Haryana through the backdoor. He said the move would hit the interests of the common man.

Haryana Congress to celebrate
Rajiv's birthday
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 18 — The Haryana Congress has directed its subordinate units to celebrate the 54th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi on August 20 "in a manner that its impact is felt far and wide in the State".

In a circular issued to the party units and prominent party leaders, the Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has said that prayer meetings should be held in the morning followed by distribution of aids such as wheelchairs and artificial limbs to handicapped persons belonging to poor families and distribution of fruits to poor patients.

Saplings should be planted and blood donation camps should be organised. Rallies and cultural programmes should also be organised.

The party has decided to hold a State-level function at its headquarters here. Mr Hooda will address party workers.

Court rules against coercive charity
Tribune New Service

AMBALA, Aug 18 — A local court has held that officers cannot compel anyone to give donations or purchase Red Cross tickets in return for getting their work done.

This ruling has been given by Mr N.P. Dewet, Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division), Ambala Cantonment, while decreeing a suit with costs against the then Secretary, Regional Transport Authority (RTA), Ambala, Mr Lajvir Singh, HCS, filed by a transporter, Mr Harinder Kumar Gulati.

Mr Gulati had moved the court to seek mandatory injunction against Mr Lajvir Singh, who, he said, had refused to honour the power of attorney given to the plaintiff by other transporters for getting various jobs done in the office of the RTA. He also claimed that the defendant compelled him to purchase Red Cross tickets.

The defendants argued that they did not honour the power of attorney in favour of Mr Gulati because the latter had exploited the other transporters, who executed the power of attorney in his favour.

Deciding the case in favour of Mr Gulati the court said the defendants had not filed any evidence in support of their allegation. The Judge held that the plaintiff was entitled to act as holder of power of attorney on behalf of various executants.

Swarn Shatabdi halt at Ambala demanded
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 18 — The Ambala Cantt Traders Federation has demanded that the Swarn Shatabdi Express train introduced between New Delhi and Amritsar on August 15 should halt at Ambala Cantonment also.

In a statement issued here today, the Chairman of the federation, Mr N.C. Jain, said the new train had scheduled halts at Ludhiana, Jalandhar city and Beas while it had no halt in Haryana. This had given the impression as if the train was meant exclusively for the people of Punjab.

Mr Jain said Ambala Cantonment was the biggest centre for production of scientific instruments besides being an important cantonment. Keeping in view the importance of the town, the Railway Ministry should immediately order a two-minute halt of the train at Ambala Cantonment.

He also demanded that the Quality Marketing Centre should be re-opened in Ambala immediately. He said at present over 1000 units were manufacturing scientific instruments in the town. Since a major part of the production was exported, it was a primary requirement of the exporters to get their products tested for their quality.

Mr Jain said the centre would be self-sufficient and would not be a burden on the state exchequer.

Set up district court, urge lawyers
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Aug 18 — The district Bar Association has expressed resentment over an inordinate delay in the constitution of a district and session court here.

At a meeting of the association held here today, members expressed displeasure over the fact that the government had not been taking steps to set up a district court. They said though Jhajjar and Fatehabad were simultaneously granted the status of districts, a district court had not been set up at Fatehabad.

The association has constituted a 12-member action committee to take steps in this regard.

Case against Horticulture dept
From Our Correspondent

PANCHKULA, Aug 18 — The Chandimandir police has registered a case of breach of trust and criminal conspiracy against certain officials of the state horticulture department on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Morni Cooperative Society.

According to information available, Mr. Tikka Singh of the society had written to the Minster for Horticulture, Mr Jagbir Singh in July, 1998, about not sending the ginger seeds to be sown on a trial basis in the Morni area as the sowing season was over.

But the request was overlooked and seeds worth Rs 5 lakh were despatched by officials as a result of which the seeds started rotting. The police is investigating complaints about the inferior quality of the ginger seeds made available to the society.

The police has registered a case under Sections 409 and 120-B of the IPC.

Vajpayee govt will fall soon: Birender
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 18 — Mr Birender Singh, former president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, has predicted that the BJP-led coalition government at the centre would fall soon because of differences between the BJP and its alliance partners.

Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, he said the Congress was not in favour of toppling the present government but if it fell, his party would provide a stable government at the Centre.

Referring to the groupism in the party, he said after Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s entry, it had ended. He, however, accused the previous party presidents for encouraging groupism.

He alleged the law and order situation in the state had deteriorated because leaders of the ruling HVP-BJP alliance were patronising criminals.

Later, addressing party workers he criticised the state government decision to bifurcate the HSEB. He said the common man would be adversely affected by this decision as the power tariff would be hiked in the near future. He said Mr Bansi Lal had failed to fulfil his pre-election promise regarding round-the-clock power supply and clean administration.

MC to cremate serial killer
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 18 — The police has handed over the body of Ram Babu, a serial killer who was recently killed by another undertrial in jail, to the municipal council for performing the last rites as the family of the deceased showed no interest in taking the body.

Meanwhile, the tehsildar and the police, after holding separate inquiries have submitted their reports to the Deputy Commissioner and the court, respectively.

According to the post-mortem report, the victim sustained serious injury above his right eye which resulted in his death.

According to sources the jail authorities are planning to send a detailed report of the custodial death to the National Human Rights Commission.

3 highway robbers arrested
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Aug 18 — The police has arrested three highway robbers who were allegedly involved in an incident of robbery near Rasulpur village on the Tohana-Rattia road on May 18.

According to the SP, Nirmal Singh and Rasool Singh, both brothers, were going to Rasulpur village on their scooter when they were stopped at gunpoint by five youths in a jeep.

They escaped with Rs 20,500 which the brothers had got after selling off their vegetables.

The police has arrested Surjeet Singh, Malkiat Singh and Lakhbir Singh, all brothers and residents of Katakheri village, in this regard.