New pay scales for board employees
By U.K. Bhanot
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 12 — The Haryana Government today released revised pay scales for various categories of employees of boards/corporations/companies/cooperative institutions/non-teaching employees of aided colleges/schools by and large on the pattern of pay scales approved by the State Government for its employees.

The scales have been released after various issues relating to the pay scales of each category of posts existing in various state public enterprises/institutions were examined by a pay revision committee headed by the Home Minister, Mr Mani Ram Godara, which had submitted its recommendations to the State government in the first week of September last.

In spite of representations by employees of some boards and corporations which have been running in losses, the Finance Department has approved the recommendations of categories of posts existing in the boards/corporations/companies/cooperative institutions and other bodies except the loss making units.

According to the Financial Commissioner, all new pay scales, called the replacement scales, are based on functional pay scales of the categories of posts. In any case replacement will not be given on the pay scales being enjoyed by some employees on personal measure.

The state public enterprises/institutions which have been following the scheme of higher standard pay scales after 10/20 years of service will now adopt with the new assured career progression scheme notified by the Finance Department for the employees of State Government (Schedule-I. Part-II).

The revised pay scales will be implemented w.e.f. 1.1.96. In case of the employees of state enterprises/ institutions which incurred losses for three years or more out of the preceding five years i.e. from 1993-94 to 1997-98 the matter is being considered separately and for the employees who have been declared surplus the pay scales will not be revised at present.

The arrears of pay from January 1, 1996, to December 31 last for the employees of state enterprises/institutions will be deposited in the provident fund accounts of the respective employees and the arrears deposited will not in any case be allowed to be withdrawn by them at least for one year from the date of deposit. The arrears w.e.f. January 1, last will be paid in cash.

The dearness allowance, house rent allowance, CCA, conveyance allowance, medical allowance, travelling allowance and all other incentives to the employees of all state enterprises/institutions will not exceed those admissible to the State Government employees under any circumstances and will not be made effective/applicable from a date earlier than the State Government.

In respect of the employees who are due to retire till November 30 next and those who have already retired between 1.1.96 and 31.12.97 the arrears should be paid to them as per notification/instructions issued by the State Government in this regard.

The concept of special pay allowed with certain posts in the State government is being considered by the government separately. The decision in this regard for the employees of State enterprises/institutions will be taken thereafter.

The government has taken a serious view of the State enterprises which had flouted the instructions issued by the Finance Department and revised/ upgraded the pay scales of their employees in between 1.1.86 and 31.12.95 at their own level without getting the prior approval of the Administrative Department and or Finance Department.

A separate meeting will be held to revise the pay scales of non-teaching employees of universities.

A gas-based power project
From D.N. Chaturvedi
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD: Work on the 432 MW gas-based power project is going on in full swing at Mujeri village, near here. The engineers of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), who are executing the project, are confident of commissioning the first 143-mw gas turbine well before June next year.

According to Mr K.B. Dube, additional General Manager of the project, financial assistance for the Rs 1163.06 crore project has been provided by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan. The electricity generated at the project would be supplied to Haryana for which a purchase agreement has been signed.

The foundation stone of the project was laid by the then Prime Minister, Mr I.K. Gujral, on August 3 last year.

The Gas Authority of India will supply gas from its Hajira-Bizapur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) pipeline already in existence 10 km away from the project. The work on laying the pipeline up to the project is expected to start soon.

The equipment for the project is being supplied and erected by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd in collaboration with Siemens of Germany and the first gas turbine is ready for despatch from Germany.

The second unit of the project is expected to be commissioned in July and the third, which is a steam turbine, in May 2000.

Mr Dube said that the foundation for the gas turbines, each involving approximately 650 cubic metres of concrete, had been completed ahead of the schedule. The work on the gas turbine building and the 200-KV switchyard was progressing ahead of the schedule.

Although the gas turbine project is eco-friendly and pollution-free, a massive tree plantation in and around the project has been undertaken. About 25,000 saplings have been planted.

The NTPC would spend Rs 40 lakh this year on sinking tubewells, developing roads, renovating the hospital, etc at Mujeri for the benefit of the people whose land has been acquired for the project. In addition, a number of income-generating schemes have been planned for villagers of Mujeri.

A township for employees of the project is also under construction in which bricks made of ash are being used.

Mr Dube expressed the confidence that the Mujeri project would meet the power requirements of Haryana to a great extent.

Yadav's call to oust HVP-BJP govt
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Oct 12 — The Bahujan Samaj Party, led by its national leader and former MLA of Haryana, Mr Raghu Yadav, today gave a call to the people of the state to oust the HVP-BJP government.

The call was given by the BSP at its dharna here, the first in the state in its fresh campaign to oust the government and to throw up new leadership in the state. The speakers on the occasion, especially Mr Raghu Yadav and the editor of the Punjab Kesri, Mr Ashwani Kumar Chopra, urged upon the people to discard the three Lals, namely Mr Bansi Lal, Mr Devi Lal and Mr Bhajan Lal, and their sons in the interests of the state.

Mr Yadav, who was the main organiser of the event, said that dharnas and demonstrations to bring about change in the leadership Haryana’s politics would be organised throughout the state.

Mr Yadav, who claimed that he had been leading campaigns against successive governments to bring an end to discrimination against south Haryana, alleged that present and former legislators from the area had not supported him on the issue.

Launching a frontal attack against the state government, he dared it to issue a white paper on the recent recruitments of police constables in the state. He alleged that a majority of the recruits were either from Bhiwani, the home district of Chief Minister Bansi Lal or were "cronies" of influential members of the Cabinet "if the government’s claim that the recruitments were evenly balanced in all the districts."

Mr Yadav, who is a member of the national executive of the BSP, further alleged that successive Chief Ministers and their sons had encouraged land scandals in South Haryana. "Big builders had been encouraged to urbanise this area for the benefits of the powers that be at the cost of the farmers".

Raising the discrimination of South Haryana in the matter of distribution of water the dharna, which virtually converted into a public meeting, the speakers alleged that the people of the area were being misled on the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal project. He wondered why successive Chief Ministers did not effect equal distribution of the available waters instead of waiting for the completion of SYL canal project.

The speakers also alleged that even though the successive governments had allowed industrialisation in South Haryana, they never cared to open engineering college or institutes for vocational courses which could have facilitated employments to the local youths.

In a significant development, Mr Yadav urged upon the editor of the Punjab Kesri to enter into electoral politics to strengthen the BSP’s campaign against discrimination of various parts in the state.

Mr Ashwani Kumar Chopra, who was the chief guest on the occasion, pledged his support to the BSP’s campaign. He said that the government had failed on all fronts.

Significantly, Mr Chopra has been active in South Haryana in the company of Mr Yadav for the last eight months.

Bringing police, public closer
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Oct 12 — The Commissioner, Hisar Division, Mr Dharamvir, said that law and order was a social problem. He was speaking at a "Sham-e-Ghazal" organised by a local non-government organisation.

The DIG, Hisar Range, Mr Virender Bahadur Singh, ex-officio patron of the '"Fateh-Dhawaj", the non-government organisation, stressed better co-ordination between the police and the public. He said that people must also appreciate good work being done by the police.

The DIG desired that people should be motivated to organise such fora for better interaction between the people and the police.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr K.S. Yadav, announced a grant of Rs 5100 for the NGO.

Two books of local writers were also released on the occasion.

Mr Subhash Sharma, Principal D.N. College, Hisar and a member of the advisory committee of the organisation welcomed the guests. Mr Anil Sharma, K.K. Pappi, Tulsi Anupam, Mukesh Rahi, Isha Khanna, Mr Deswal and Vikas Mehta rendered their ghazals.

Ban on mustard oil sale lifted
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 12 — The Haryana Government has lifted the ban on the manufacture and sale of mustard oil in the open market with immediate effect.

This decision of the state government was conveyed by the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, to a deputation of the oil millers here yesterday. Mr Rajiv Jain, general secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party and Political Press Adviser to the Chief Minister, was present on the occasion.

Mr Bansi Lal also said the sale of mustard oil would be allowed only after the authorities concerned check the samples. He, however, asked the Deputy Commissioners to take immediate and effective steps to check the sale of adulterated mustard and other edible oils. He also warned the government would take stern action against those found responsible for the sale of adulterated oil.

Mr Jain conveyed the government's decision to the mediapersons in this regard. He said this would ease the availability of mustard oil in the market and help in bringing down the prices of the commodity on the eve of Divali.

Earlier, the Chief Minister sought details of the losses to standing kharif crops in the area by untimely heavy rains and storm from the Deputy Commissioner, Mr P.K. Mahapatra, and other officials of the Irrigation Department. The Deputy Commissioner apprised him of the measures taken to pump out the rain water accumulated in the fields.

Mr Bansi Lal directed the district administration and the Irrigation Department authorities to install more diesel and power run pumping sets to clear the rain water from the fields immediately and enable the farmers to sow the rabi crops.

The Chief Minister also addressed a HVP workers' meeting and called upon them to remain united in foiling the attempts of the Opposition to dislodge him from power.

HC notice to STC on bus route permits
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 12 — By filing a public interest litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr Surinder Garg, a resident of Panchkula, today sought a C.B.I. inquiry into what he described as a multi-crore scandal in the allotment of inter-state bus route permits to the relations of the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and his two Cabinet colleagues.

Although the petitioner had impleaded as many as nine respondents, a Division Bench consisting of Mr Justice R.S. Mongia and Mr Justice S.S. Sudhalkar, issued notice to the state Financial Commissioner and Secretary of the Transport Department and the State Transport Commissioner for November 18.

In his 32-page petition Mr Garg alleged that the Transport Department adopted questionable methods to extend a whopping benefit of more than Rs 19 crore to the relatives of the Chief Minister, Education Minister, Ram Bilas Sharma, and Transport Minister Krishan Pal. By doing so, the department also caused colossal loss to the state exchequer.

Mr Garg alleged that when Mr Bansi Lal became Chief Minister in May, 1996 he, in tandem with Mr Ram Bilas Sharma and Mr Krishan Pal, hatched a conspiracy. To begin with, their relatives started operating buses on inter-state routes between Rajasthan and Haryana without any valid permits or with permits issued by the Rajasthan authorities but not countersigned by Haryana. Conscious of the tact that these buses were operating under the political patronage of the high and mighty of the state, no officer could inculcate the courage to stop these vehicles. And if any one showed the courage, he was issued marching orders from that department. In support of his allegations, he stated that Mr Vikas Yadav, Joint State Transport Controller, had challaned buses illegally operating between Pilani and Delhi by a brother of the Chief Minister under the banner, Krishna Motor Company. Similarly, a few buses operated by a brother of Mr Ram Bilas Sharma were challaned.

The petitioner added that finding the illegal operation could become a political issue, the government resorted to regularising these operations through a "convoluted process". For this purpose they ensured that a new agreement was arrived at between the Rajasthan and Haryana governments in such a manner that their kith and kin and benami permit holders could get their permits counter-signed by the Haryana Administration.

Mr Garg alleged that the Haryana Government violated statutory provisions of Section 88(6) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This section stipulated that the participating states "shall give effect to the reciprocal agreement only after it has been finally notified in the official gazette of the state government as well as in one or more newspapers circulating in the area."

The final agreement was published in newspapers on July 22, 1997, but the route permits were issued by the Rajasthan authorities in April 1997. These were also entertained by the Haryana transport authorities that month.

He stated that "surprisingly 39 of these applications which were submitted for being countersigned in the office of the State Transport Commissioner on April 15, 1997, were typed in the same format and were filled in and signed by one person. Alleging a conspiracy by the VVIPs of the state, he added that the much-trumpeted principle of first come, first serve was not notified to the public, resulting in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.

Mr Garg further alleged a series of illegalities. These include issuance of route permits by the Rajasthan Government and receipt of the same by the Haryana transport authorities the same day. This appeared to be impossible considering the distance between Jaipur and Chandigarh.

With a view to accommodating the relatives of the Chief Minister, the Education Minister and the Transport Minister, a 5,000 km excess mileage was given to private operators of Rajasthan per day.

West Juan drain to be desilted
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 12 — The Haryana Government has decided to undertake work for desilting of the West Juan drain and strengthening its embankments to avoid the over-spilling of storm water in future.

Mr Rajiv Jain, Political Press Adviser to the Chief Minister, told mediapersons here yesterday the capacity of this drain would also be increased so that it could carry more water. This, he claimed, would check the water overflowing from the drain.

Expressing concern over standing crops in nearby fields being submerged as a result of over-spilling, Mr Jain said the state government would take stern action against the officials of the construction division responsible for the situation.

He also announced that the rainwater accumulated in the fields would be pumped out within 20 days.

Mr Jain blamed successive governments for not taking concrete steps to check the recurrence of the floods in the area. The present HVP-BJP alliance government led by Mr Bansi Lal, he said, had formulated a Rs 400 crore plan to make Haryana flood-free.

He also declared a side channel along the Sonepat-Gohana road would be constructed to check the accumulation of flood and rainwater on both sides of this road.

Earlier, Mr Jain accompanied by leaders of the ruling HVP and officers of the district administration toured the villages hit by over-spilling of the West Juan drain

Bandh call by traders withdrawn
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Oct 12 — Bandh call given by the Rohtak Traders Association has been withdrawn following assurance of the cancellation of criminal cases registered against the Qilla road traders on October 7 last.

Call for bandh was given yesterday to protest against the arrest of three businessmen of Qilla road on charges of assaulting and beating sales-tax officials on Wednesday last. Two other traders were also taken into custody but they were not formally arrested. The town observed complete bandh on Saturday also.

The arrested traders were freed on bail on Sunday and the other two were also freed by the police to create congenial atmosphere for resolving the tangle.

The local MLA and Haryana Urban Development Minister, Seth Sri Kishan Dass, who also oversees the Sales-Tax Department, assured the traders that cases registered against them would be withdrawn.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr P.K. Aggarwal said that instructions had been issued to the police not to precipitate the issue till Divali. "The police has been advised to go slow till the festival of lamps", he said.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Kumar, however, was not aware about any "understanding" between traders and the minister, as the Association yesterday had decided against meeting him about the case. The Traders' Association now propose to meet the Commissioner, Rohtak Division, Mr P.K. Chaudhary tomorrow.

Milk output rises in Haryana
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 12 — Haryana, with 1.3 per cent of the geographical area, ranks second in the country, next only to Punjab, in terms of 620 gm per capita availability of milk daily. Though the cattle and buffalo population had shown an increase of only 58 per cent since 1966, the milk production in the state has gone up by 240 per cent.

A spokesman of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Departments today said the Haryana Government had earmarked Rs 14.41 crore for livestock development and improving the animal husbandry practices in the state during the current financial year. An outlay of Rs 5,600 lakh had been proposed for the Ninth Plan.

2 youths held for looting
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 12 — The Rai police has arrested two youths in connection with the alleged snatching of a car and looting the persons travelling in it on the G.T. Road in July.

The Superintendent of Police, Mr K. Selvraj, told mediapersons here yesterday the culprits had been identified as Devinder of Raipur village and Joginder of Lalehri village. Two others, Jatinder and Parveen of Uttar Pradesh, who are wanted in this case, are still at large. The police, he said, had launched a hunt to apprehend them.

Giving details, the SP said Mr Richhpal, a resident of Delhi, along with his brother, his wife and a close relative were returning to Delhi from Jalandhar. When they reached near Pio Munyari, the car-borne culprits overtook their car and managed to halt it. The culprits snatched cash and gold ornaments and drove the car away, leaving Mr Richhpal and his relatives there.

He said later the police recovered the car from a deserted place near drain no. 6 in this city.

Inauguration put off again
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Oct 12 — With Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj taking over as Chief Minister of Delhi, the inauguration of the Hisar station of All India Radio has once again been postponed.

Ms Swaraj was expected to inaugurate the station on October 13. This is for the fourth time that the inauguration has been postponed.

Earlier the inauguration was scheduled for August 15. It was postponed to September 15. Then the date was changed to October 9. It was further postponed till October 13.

Chief Minister Bansi Lal wanted Ms Swaraj to inaugurate the AIR station at Hisar, besides laying the foundation stone of the TV station at his native town of Bhiwani.

The AIR Hisar, for the last several months has been broadcasting programmes daily for a few hours on a trial basis. It awaits a formal inauguration that appears to be jinxed.

Kidnapped girl untraced
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 12 — The city police has failed to identify the alleged kidnappers of a Dalit girl of West Ram Nagar locality of this city.

The girl was allegedly kidnapped on May 20. Mr Dharamjit, her father, has been running from pillar to post since then to know the whereabouts of his daughter.

He has sent representations to the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, the Home Minister, Haryana, Mr Mani Ram Godara and the DIG Police, Rohtak Range, demanding the arrest of persons named by him in his complaint.