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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Monday, December 28, 1998 |
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Rape charge against Wakf
Board CEO 3,000
pollution-causing units in Haryana |
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Bus
passengers robbed Move
to transfer Kalanaur opposed BJP
panel to curb crimes against women Sanctions
'won't hurt India' Project
employees denied salary High-yielding
eucalyptus of AP to be adopted Strong-arm
tactics by college management CM
clarifies position on Agroha college Lambardars
seek monthly allowances |
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Rape charge against Wakf Board
CEO AMBALA, Dec 27 — The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Punjab Wakf Board, Mohammad Khan, has been booked for allegedly raping a widow, a resident of Kishangarh village in Alwar district of Rajasthan. According to the FIR lodged by the victim, a mother of four, with the cantonment police here yesterday, she had come to meet the CEO at the headquarters of the board in the cantonment here as she wanted to request him to allot a piece of land to her. She said that she had been told by someone that the board had some land which was to be allotted to widows. She said that she kept waiting till 6.30 p.m. However, she came to know that he was busy with senior officials from Delhi. Later, she was told by the chowkidar to meet the CEO at his residence. The victim said the CEO told her that her application for the allotment of a piece of land would be decided next morning and she could stay at his residence for the night. She alleged that she was raped by the CEO and even though she shouted for help, no one came to her rescue. She went to the police post in Regiment Bazaar where a complaint was lodged although the CEO had threatened to kill her for doing so. On the basis of the complaint, a case under Sections 376 and 506 of the IPC (Rape and Criminal Intimidation) was registered against the CEO yesterday. A medical examination of the complainant was conducted at the Civil Hospital in the cantonment today. Mr Khan, however, said the allegations levelled against him were false and the "story" was "concocted". Talking to this correspondent on telephone, he said that he had not met the woman in question and the question of committing any offence against her did not arise. He alleged that the entire report had been "manipulated" against him with vested interests. He said the police was still investigating the case and he was sure to get exonerated of the charges against him. Meanwhile, the doctors who
conducted a medical examination on the woman submitted
their preliminary findings. Sources said it indicated
voilence. Petailed report would be available after an
examination by the forensic experts at Madhuban. |
3,000 pollution-causing units in
Haryana YAMUNANAGAR, Dec 27— The Haryana State Pollution Control Board is facing a problem from Himachal Pradesh at Kala Amb, Bargodam, Sirsa Nadi and in Markanda river. Talking to the newsman here yesterday, Mr J.C.Yadav, Administrator of the board, stated that the board was receiving regular complaints from the residents of Ambala and Panchkula districts and it took up the matter with the Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi. A joint inspection was carried out in May, on the basis of which the central board has issued closure notices to certain paper mills. Mr Yadav further disclosed that 3000 units have been identified in Haryana which create pollution. These included distilleries, sugar mills and cement and thermal plants as also food processing, dairy, electroplating and solvent units, stone crushers and chemical plants. Mr Yadav disclosed that plywood industries were also required to apply for consent for the installation of multi-cyclone and well-end scrubbers to control air pollution. The metal industries have not been exempted from consent management and are required to install effluent treatment plants. He appreciated that Ballarpur Industries Limited, Yamunanagar, had set up one of the best effluent treatment plants. Mr Yadav stated that a similar plant had been installed at Kundli in Sonepat district whose expenditure was shared by the local industries and the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation for the benefit of small units in the state. He stated that western
Yamuna canal BOD (biochemical oxygen demand ) in Delhi is
now less than 3 mg which indicated that there is strict
control of the pollution control board on industries
which discharge effluents in the river. |
Bus passengers robbed GURGAON, Dec 27 — Taking the advantage of fog, six unidentified persons armed with revolvers and knives, robbed passengers of a Haryana Roadways bus on the Gurgaon-Pataudi road today. According to sources, a Haryana Roadways bus bound for Jaipur via Delhi left Chandigarh yesterday at about 4 p.m. As it reached near Wazirpur village on the Gurgaon-Pataudi road, 12 km from here, at about 2 a.m., two of its tyres got punctured. The driver, the conductor, Mukund Lal, and a passenger got down from the bus, when six youths carrying revolvers, knives and lathis surrounded them. The assailants tied them with a rope and took control of the bus. They told the passengers to handover valuables, including cash, to them else they would kill them. There were around 30 passengers in the bus. They took away around Rs 6500 from the conductor and decamped with goods worth Rs 2 lakh. A senior police officer said it appeared that the assailants had come with a planning. They might have thrown nails on the road so that the bus would get punctured. The SSP, Mr Khusi Ram
Dahiya, called a meeting of police officers of the
district to trace the assailants. |
Move to transfer Kalanaur
opposed ROHTAK, Dec 27 — Residents of Kalanaur, 20 km from here, are up in arms against the state government's decision to transfer the Kalanaur area from Rohtak to Meham subdivision. Residents of Kalanaur used to come here for judicial and official matters, but after this decision they will have to go the Meham. The government has reportedly sanctioned a judicial court in Meham subdivision which is likely to start functioning from the ensuing year. Lawyers of the district are also opposing the move. They said the transfer of Kalanaur from Rohtak to Meham would adversely affect their work as the Rohtak subdivision would consist of only Rohtak and Sampla segment. Advocate Hukam Chand Khokhar described the decision as "politically motivated" There are 32 villages in the Kalanaur block which are located nearly 20 km from Rohtak while the average distance of these villages from Meham is nearly 40 km. The Kalanaur Bepoar Mandal had condemned the government's decision and threatened to launch an agitation if the move was not shelved. Mr Brij Lal Chugh, a former President of the Local Municipal Committee said a meeting of leaders, sarpanches and the heads of various social organisations would be convened soon and a "sangharsh samiti" would be constituted to launch an agitation. A delegation would also meet the Commissioner in this regard. Local BJP leaders have also registered their protest against the decision. Mr Satram Bhatia, a BJP leader, appealed to the senior leaders of the party to pressurise the government to withdraw the move. He said the government should have taken the people into confidence before taking the decision. Ms Kartar Devi, a leader of the Haryana Congress Legislature Party, said the government had presented a "package of problems" to the people in the form of a new year gift. Meanwhile, the residents
of the Meham Chaubisi region have welcomed the decision. |
BJP panel to curb crimes against women KURUKSHETRA, Dec 27 (UNI) — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has constituted a National Committee to check atrocities on women in the country. The committee has been named as the "Saavdhaan Samiti". This was disclosed by the BJP Mahila Morcha President, Ms Maya Singh, while addressing a press conference after inaugurating a two-day training camp for the state BJP women activists. Ms Maya Singh, who has been made chairperson of the samiti, said the National Committee comprised Ms Bhawna Chhikalia, MP; Ms Vijay Daksha, an advocate, and Ms Mohini Garg. The committee would approach women who had undergone atrocities and tyrannies and collect evidence against the culprits and see they got punished for their misdeeds. She said a state-level "Saavdhaan Samiti" would be constitued soon in Haryana also. The leader of the morcha said the morcha would launch a national awareness campaign on the issue of the proposed Bill providing capital punishment for rapists and Seminars would be organised in the country to know the reaction of the people, particularly the females towards these proposals. A comprehensive report of the national debate would then be submitted to the Home Minister and Prime Minister for their perusal and further action. Ms Maya Singh said the
morcha was involved in educating the women in the country
through seminars, training camps and conferences to
emphasise the need of active reservations in the state
assemblies, besides the Lok Sabha. |
Sanctions 'won't hurt India' KURUKSHETRA, Dec 27 — Dr R. Chidambaram, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary to Government of India stated here today that India should not worry about the sanctions imposed by the nuclear powers after the Pokhran blasts. Dr Chidambaram was inaugurating an international symposium on solid state physics organised by the Department of Atomic Energy and Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Bombay. Dr Chidambaram maintained that the sanctions imposed on the availability of technologies by western countries would be taken as a challenge by the scientific community in India. He said these would not harm the scientific and technological developments in the country. He was of the view that India needed to be treated as an equal partner in the development of science and technology. He disclosed that India was developing a long energy beam collector at Geneva with international collaboration. He wanted that scientists should work to make the country self-reliant and self-sufficient in various fields. Dr Chidambaram maintained that the denial of technology by western countries had been there since India conducted its first N-test in 1974 but even after that India had been able to indigenously develop numerous advanced technologies in the field of nuclear science. He was worried that the younger generation was taking less interest in the research in physics. He desired that more young people should be attracted towards research in physics and other allied scientific subject. The Chairman also stressed the need for paying more attention towards the Indian national laboratory system. Dr Chidambaram will deliver a lecture on "solid state physics aspects of May 1998 nuclear tests at Pokhran" to scientists gathered here. Dr ML Ranga, Vice-Chancellor, in his presidential address while lauding the achievements of the Indian scientists wanted the media to pay more attention towards scientific developments which benefited the society. Dr Ranga highlighted scientific achievements and knowledge contained in our ancient texts and scriptures. He maintained that the concept of atoms, molecules and energy had been clearly conceptualised in our ancient science. Dr SK Sikka, Director, Solid State and Spectroscopy Group of Bhaba Atomic Research Centre and Dr BK Godwal, convener of the organising committee of the symposium, traced the historical introduction of the development of atomic energy symposia during the past 40 years. Prof ND Sharma, Chairman of Physics Department, Kurukshetra University, recalled the services of Dr Chidambaram in the field of nuclear research. About 300 scientists from
various parts of the country and abroad are attending the
four day symposium. |
Project employees denied salary GURGAON, Dec 27 — Employees of the Integrated Women's Empowerment and Development Project (IWEDP) are facing problems in doing their duties due to non-payment of their salary and honorarium. There is one district coordinator, six other staff members, 13 social organisers, 109 sanjeevanis and 2091 sadias working in the three blocks of this project in this district. The project was started two years back with 80 per cent financial aid from the German Government and the rest from the Haryana Government. The project was started in the three blocks of Nuh, Farrukh Nagar and Sohna with the Government sending Rs 20.40 lakh. It is alleged that as much as Rs 17.65 lakh out of this sum was misutilised by officers of this project. Reliable sources say that the officers had purchased two Tata Sumo jeeps, furniture and other articles which are of no use to the public or the staff. The main object of this project was to educate the women and poor children in these blocks. Poor woman, widows, deserted women and sadias of this project were to be given free books, dresses, legal aid, medical facilities etc. Under the project, Rs 400 was paid per month to the women who are working in this project as sanjeevanis, and other facilities to the sadias. For the past four months, the staff members and S.O's have not received their salaries. Sanjeevanis and sadias have not been paid their dues for the past more than one year. The rent of the office building and electricity bill is pending for three months. All vehicles are standing in the office for want of diesel and petrol. The project is running in such a poor condition that it is a difficult job for the project to even renew the identity cards of sanjeevanis. The official staff of this project have requested the project Director, Chandigarh, and the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Gurgaon, to pay their salaries, but nothing has to be done. The Government has
launched a good project for the poor and backward women
of this area, but due to negligence of the
administration, a good project will be closed. |
High-yielding eucalyptus of AP to be
adopted YAMUNANAGAR, Dec 27 — The Haryana Government has decided to create infrastructure for the propagation of eucalyptus by taking technical knowhow on cloning from Bhadrachalam (Andhra Pradesh). Mr Banarsi Das, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Haryana, talking to newspersons here, said these clones would increase the yield per hectare of eucalyptus by over three times. He also informed that the Haryana Forest Department was raising high-yielding disease-free varieties of poplar clones like kranti, udhai and S-7. He said pulpable dead and dry trees would be given to paper industry to tide over the shortage of raw material. Mr Das stated that there were reports of large-scale pilferage of khair wood from the Kalesar-Chhachhrauli areas in Yamunanagar district but it had been checked by continuous night patrolling of forest officials. Speaking on the social forestry scheme, he said the Forest Department was planning to undertake the plantation of land available with the Haryana State Minor Irrigation and Tubewell Corporation. He said an area extending over 6 lakh km of Panchayat land in the state was available for tree plantation and the Department, was planning to undertake the job in the near future to meet the shortage of wood. He said the Chief Minister
had suggested the planting of eucalyptus near canals to
prevent water-logging. |
Sectt awaits inauguration KAITHAL: The mini-secretariat building constructed at a cost of Rs 4.25 crore in the Sector 19 HUDA Colony here is ready for occupation. Deputy Commissioner Jayawanti Sheokand said after the final finishing touches this building will be inaugurated which will pave the way for shifting of government offices to this building, which at present are scattered in different parts of the town. Besides the office of the Deputy Commissioner, the other important offices to be shifted includes those of the ADC, the SDM, treasury and Public Relations and dozens of other offices having public dealings. The three-storeyed building spread over a large area appears to be a splendid example of architectural skill. After the shifting of the offices to the mini-secretariat the public will be saved from a lot of harassment as their problems will be solved under one roof. Besides, it will add to administrative efficiency and redressal of public grievances, expenditiously. Though initially Mr Bhajan Lal, the then Haryana Chief Minister, laid the foundation stone for the mini-secretariat building at Kaithal-Jind road, about 4 km from the town, the people of the area objected to the site being very far off and located in low-lying area. Mr Bhajan Lal deputed a high powered team of senior bureaucrats, including the then Financial Commissioner Revenue, Secretary and Commissioner, Country & Town Planning Department and Chief Administrator, HUDA. This committee favoured the construction of this building at HUDA Colony, at a place which was already earmarked for this purpose. Still many government
department offices will not find place in this building
and will pose some problems to the public, as these will
remain sacttered in different parts of the town, most of
them in private buildings. Another point irritating the
minds of the officials posted here is, that construction
work on the officers' colony is yet to start. |
Strong-arm tactics by college
management ROHTAK, Dec 27 — The Maharshi Dayanand University, Authorities have taken a serious note of the incident in which nominees of the Vice-Chancellor and the Director Higher Education (DHE), were allegedly pressurised by the management of a private college to select a lecturer in Hindi of its choice. It is learnt that BPSM Girls College, Khanpur Kalan, Sonepat, had fixed interviews for the post of Hindi lecturer on December 11. Ms Saroj Hooda, Principal, Government College for Women, Rohtak, and Prof Ram Naresh Mishra, Head, Hindi Department, M D University, reached there as nominees of the DHE and the Vice Chancellor, respectively. Besides, Dr Rajender Singh was present as the expert. These members of the selection committee were surprised when the management of the college allegedly did not accept the candidates selected by them. Consequently, the committee cancelled the interview. But the management did not yield and pressurised the members to select the candidate of its choice. In a joint signed letter to the Vice-Chancellor the members have alleged that the management threatened them of dire consequences if they did not select the 'desired' candidate. They said certain outsiders entered the office in support of the candidate and pressurised and misbehaved with the members. A youth allegedly tried to force the members of the selection committee at gun point. All these 'miscreants' allegedly threatened the members that they would not be allowed to leave the office till their candidate was selected. However, the 'hostile' attitude of the miscreants and the management members was softened when they came to know that Ms Saroj Hooda was the daughter-in-law of a former MLA, Mr Ram Swaroop and sister-in-law of the district HVP president, Mr Ram Phool Hooda. They let them out at last. Mr Ram Phool Hooda has described the incident as shameful and demanded immediate action against the offenders. Members of the college
management could not be contacted despite several
attempts. |
CM clarifies position on
Agroha college SIRSA, Dec 27 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal today announced that the government was prepared to provide all assistance to any private company or cooperative body for starting a sugar mill here. He said, from the previous experience it had been found that the government-run cooperative mills were usually not successful. Addressing a well-attended rally in the Grain Market here today, Mr Bansi Lal while responding to the demand of the local people for the setting up of a sugar mill said, the government would provide all assistance to the interested parties. Mr Bansi Lal listed the promises made by the rulling HVP-BJP combine before coming to power and their implementation. He claimed that the government had fulfilled most of the promises. In this regard he said, the government was sure to provide round-the-clock power to supply in the state from July. The Chief Minister sought to clarify his position vis-a-vis Maharaja Agrasen Medical College at Agroha. He regretted that a sustained campaign had been launched to defame him and blame him for stopping aid to the college. He said, no college in Haryana had been given so much aid in the past 30 years as Agroha Medical College had got. He sought to clarify that the decision to stop aid to the college was taken by Mr Bhajan Lal at a meeting held on July 11, 1995. He pointed out that the meeting had decided to stop aid to the college from March 31, 1996, while he assumed power on May 11, 1996. He disclosed that the meeting in which the decision to stop the grant was taken was, among others attended by the former Chief Minister, Mr Banarasi Das Gupta also. However, he did not specify his government's stand vis-a-vis the college today. Mr Bansi Lal denied reports of differences with the Food and Supplies Minister, Prof Ganeshi Lal. Recently, there were reports that the CM was maintaining a distance from Prof Ganeshi Lal. The latter has already denied these reports. Mr Bansi Lal said, Prof Ganeshi Lal was one of the honest and efficient ministers in his Cabniet. The Chief Minister also
sought to clarify the position of the government with
regard to imposition of taxes in the state after the
introduction of prohibition. He had a dig at the
opposition leaders for exaggerating the amount collected
as faxes. He said in the past over two years the
government had imposed taxes worth only Rs 177.41 crore
only. |
Lambardars seek monthly allowances SONEPAT, Dec 27 — The Lambardars Association of Haryana today urged the state government to grant Rs 1,500 as monthly allowance and another Rs 200 per month as an additional allowance to the lambardars for helping the authorities in the distribution of old age pension in their respective villages. In a press note issued here, the members sought an increase from 3 per cent to 10 per cent for the recovery of biana and free bus travel for lambardars visiting the tehsil and district headquarters. It urged the state government to appoint the son after the death of a lambardar and also nominate the lambardars as members of gram panchayats, block samitis, zila parishads and local bodies in their respective areas. The association sought that the state government should provide facilities of stay at the rest houses on a par with other government employees in the state. It also asked the state government to direct the Revenue Department to disburse the salaries of chowkidars. The association also
wanted the state government to direct tehsildars to
execute the construction work in villages after
verification by lambardars. Similarly, the work for
registration of deeds and nominations should be done
after being duly verified by lambardars. |
Chautala to start campaign on Jan 1 BHIWANI, Dec 27 — The Indian National Lok Dal has decided to start a mass campaign from Bhiwani against the alleged failure of the Haryana Government to fulfil its promises. Mr Om Parkash Chautala, President, All-India National Lok Dal will address a workers meeting to be held at Charkhi Dadri in this district on January 1, 1999, to start the campaign. Mr Attar Singh Kajal, spokesman of the Lok Dal, said here today that Mr Chautala, will cover all 90 assembly constituencies in the state during the mass-contact campaign. He said the aim of the campaign was to educate people about the failure of the state government. Mr Ajay Chautala, President of the Lok Dal youth wing, has also announced his fortnightly tour of this district starting in the first week of January. He will tour Loharu on January 2, Badhra on January 3, Bawani Khera on January 4, Tosham on January 5, Mundhal on January 6, Dadri on January 7, Badhra on January 8, Bhiwani city on January 10 and villages in Bhiwani constituency on January 18. In view of the political instability at the Centre and the defeat of the Lok Dal candidates in the Assembly elections this campaign will act as a morale booster for Lok Dal workers. The campaign of Mr Om
Parkash Chautala will commence from Charkhi Dadri rural
areas on January 1, Badhra on January 5, Mundhal, Bhiwani
rural areas and town on January 9. |
Youth hacked to death ROHTAK, Dec 27 — Sita Ram (27) was allegedly murdered by three persons at Dattor village in this district yesterday in connection with a land dispute. According to a complaint lodged by family members of the deceased, the victim was hacked to death with sharp-edged weapons and his body was dumped in a pit in a nearby field. The accused identified as
Jai Bhagwan, Rajesh and Manoj have been booked under
Section 302, IPC. No arrest has been made so far. |
Stress on total literacy SIRSA, Dec 27 — Presiding over the annual function of Raja Ram Girls Senior Secondary School, Mandi Dabwali, near here, yesterday, Mr Charan Dass Shorewala, Minister for Finance and Planning, Haryana, said to educate each and every child in Haryana, social organisations should come forward. He also laid the foundation stone of Kasturi Lal Memorial Block in the school. It would be constructed at a cost of Rs 20 lakh. He announced a grant of Rs 51,000 for this purpose. He said that to promote
education, 400 schools had been upgraded during the past
two years in Haryana. Also, 1,320 seats had been
increased in all technical diploma courses. |
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