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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Saturday, October 17, 1998 |
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Districts to have Vidyut
Nigam |
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2
held for poisoning water tank Kidnapper
held Support
to BJP not on INLD agenda Power
cuts hit water drainage Haryana
begins reform plans in power sector All
mustard oil to be checked Police
association chief suspended HUDA
nets Rs 7.9 crore in auction of sites Two
PWD officials placed under suspension |
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Districts to have panel for roads CHANDIGARH, Oct 16 — The Haryana Government today decided to constitute District Road Construction and Maintenance Committees for each district. Disclosing this, Mr Karan Singh Dalal, Public Works (B&R) Minister, Haryana, said each such committee would be headed by the Deputy Commissioner of the respective district. The XEN, (B&R), in charge of road works, would be its Member-Secretary and the Superintending Engineer (Building and Roads), Additional Deputy Commissioner, all Sub-Divisional Officers (Civil) in the district and all Block Development and Panchayat Officers in the district would be its members. Mr Dalal said that these committees would examine the list of works as contained in the action plan of their district and ascertain the status of each work vis-a-vis budget provision and fund position. The committee would get the work inspected by a sub-committee appointed by it, ascertain the actual expenditure incurred, have the relevant vouchers and forms of expenditure maintained by the XEN concerned checked and record its comments, which will be put up for information to the main committee at its next meeting. He said the committee must ensure that there was no spliting of works and that the provisions of the Public Works Department (B&R) functioning were strictly adhered to. The committee would direct the sub-committee to collect samples and quality control checks conducted on works at random. The committee would also ensure that there was proper maintenance of all prescribed account books. The minister said that for the next financial year the committee would prepare a detailed action plan identifying the roads which needed maintenance and compile this plan for the entire financial year. The action plan would be sent to the Engineer-in-Chief, PWD (B&R) and the Government for approval. Mr Dalal said the
committee would prepare the work schedule and work would
be executed as per the schedule. |
Vidyut Nigam withdraws facilities ROHTAK, Oct 16 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam has withdrawn facilities to employees unions and associations listed in the Annexure ‘A’ of the constitution of the erstwhile Haryana State Electricity Board (HSEB). According to board sources, the facilities were available to the unions, including the HSEB Employees Union at Bhiwani and Hisar, the HSEB Diploma Engineers Association and the HSEB Backward Class Employees Association. The decision was taken at a meeting of the nigam held at Panchkula recently. The facilities withdrawn by the nigam include the provision of special leave ranging from five days to 20 days to the office-bearers for attending labour activities. It has been decided to treat any such period as duty and no TA/DA is permissible. However, the management has decided to give the TA/DA only when the office-bearers are summoned by the authorities. Similarly, the facility of telephone, payment of rental charges, except to the Generation Workers Union at Panipat, and the facility of providing a rent of Rs 75 per month to the general secretary for housing the office of the unions have been withdrawn. The protection against
transfers to the president or the general secretary of
the Central Executive Council has also been taken off.
Their transfer can be affected with the orders of the
chairman of the nigam now. |
Five arrested for dacoity bid SONEPAT, Oct 16 (PTI) — With the arrest of five persons, the Rai police today claim to have foiled an a ttempt of highway robbers to loot a petrol pump on the GT road at Bahalgarh in this district. The Superintendent of Police, Mr K. Selvraj, told mediapersons here today that the arrested persons have been identified as Surinder Pal and Babu of Naurojpur village (UP), Joginder, alias Kula and Devi Singh, alias Bunda of Khewra village (Sonepat) and Kaptan of Mandera village (Sonepat). The police, he said, had recovered three country-made pistols and four live cartridges from the possession of arrested persons. The SP said the police got a tip off that suspects were hiding at the akhara of Jagdish near Asawarpur village and were planning a dacoity at a petrol pump on the GT road near Bahalgarh village. The police, he said, conducted raid on the hideout and overpowered all of them. Cases under various sections of the IPC have been registered in Rai police station, he added. According to the SP, the
suspects during the interrogation, told the police that
they along with another associate, had looted some cash
and a gun from the employees of a petrol pump on the
Meerut road near Khewra village on the intervening night
of August 22 and 23 last.
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2 held for poisoning water tank ROHTAK, Oct 16 — The police has arrested two persons for mixing some pesticide in the raw water tank in HUDA Sector 1 on Thursday evening. Residents of HUDA sectors, parts of Model Town and Tilak Nagar are afraid to use its water. Mr RK Garg, Executive Engineer, HUDA, told TNS that five persons were noticed mixing indo-sulphas pesticide in the raw water tank, presumably for catching fish. Since the water level in the tank was very low, the pesticide killed the fish. Mr Garg said on being challenged by HUDA officials, these persons ran towards the JLN canal. While two of them were apprehended and handed over to the police, the other three escaped. He said the samples of the tankwater and the killed fish have been sent for chemical analysis to forensic laboratory at Madhuban. Mr Garg said water was being supplied to the residents from the shallow tube-wells installed along the canal banks after treating it with bleaching power. He said the supply from the raw-water tank has been stopped. HUDA supplied nearly 8
lakh gallons to the residents of Sectors 1 and 14, parts
of Model Town and Tilak Nagar. The water supply to these
areas would be reduced by 50 per cent following the
"closure" of the tank. |
Kidnapper held ROHTAK, Oct 16 — Notorious gangster Balwan Singh, wanted by the Jhajjar police in the kidnapping of petrol pump dealer Sant Lal Pahwa, has been arrested. Mr Sant Lal was kidnapped on Dasehra day from near a temple on the Jhajjar-Sampla road allegedly by a six-member gang headed by Baljeet Singh and Balwan Singh. He was rescued by the National Security Guard and the Haryana police on October 6 from a pig farm at Kilrodh village, 15 km from Jhajjar. While four members of the gang — Wazir Singh, Dilsher Singh, Satish and Vijay Kumar — were arrested at the time of the rescue operation, Baljeet Singh and Balwan Singh had escaped. Balwan Singh was arrested from near the railway crossing on Bhiwani road. He was produced in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr R.K. Sharma, who remanded him in police custody till tomorrow. Baljeet Singh is still absconding and the police has conducted raids at his possible hideouts. He has reportedly moved to the neighbouring Delhi area. Balwan Singh was awarded seven years imprisonment in 1991 on charges of committing dacoities, robberies and rape. He was released only in June last after the completion of the sentence. Meanwhile, another case of
kidnapping a 22-year-old married woman of Dabla village
in Jhajjar district has been registered against him on
October 13. |
Support to BJP not on INLD agenda HISAR, Oct 16 — Although all eyes are set on tomorrow’s working committee meeting of the Indian National Lok Dal being held at Jind, there is little possibility of supporting party deciding to withdraw support to the BJP-led government at the Centre. Highly placed party sources said, the working committee was likely to authorise the party chief, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to take final decision on further course of action. The sources pointed out that any decision regarding the continuation of support to the BJP-led government at the Centre was unlikely to be taken tomorrow. Tomorrow’s meeting, according to a senior party leader was being held as a follow up to the resolutions passed by the party on September 25 at Rewari. Main demands raised there included the dismissal of the Bansi Lal government, compensation to the farmers affected by the floods and waterlogging and free electricity and water to farmers. Although the party had set November 1 as deadline for the Centre government for fulfilling all these demands. Talking note of indifferent attitude of the centre, the INLD wants to press for these demands at tomorrow’s meeting, which was likely to be attended by all the office-bearers, legislators and MPs. The sources said, there appears to be a general consensus among the party leaders that this was not the ripe time for withdrawing support to the BJP-led government at the same time the INLD wanted to clarify to the BJP leadership that its support should not be taken for granted. Senior leaders denied reports about Mr Chautala threatening to withdraw support to the BJP government for replacing Mr Sahib Singh Verma. He said the INLD believed that it was an internal matter of the BJP. The INLD will also
formulate the course of action to be adopted in the
forthcoming Assembly elections particularly in areas
where Jat voters can prove a deciding factor. So far, the
INLD has not announced its support for any particular
political party. It was premature at this stage to say,
whom the INLD will support in these elections. On this
issue, also, the party was likely to authorise Mr
Chautala to take the final decision. |
The gains from Sonia’s visit CHANDIGARH, Oct 16 — The All-India Congress Committee President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s visit to four villages of Narwana subdivision on October 12 provided the people of Haryana an opportunity to watch her in action from close quarters for the first time. Though Sonia had addressed a number of public meetings during the last parliamentary elections in the state, it was just a fly-in and fly-out affair. The people were kept away from her by a big security "D" while she perched on high rostrums. In Narwana she spent about four hours, mixing freely with those who constitute the downtrodden sections of society and for whom talking to a leader like her is always a distant dream. From comments made by members of the audience after she left the venue, one could judge that she had left a deep impression on them. In Bailakhera village an old man, ostensibly a Dalit, told Sonia that her visit had reminded him of her mother-in-law. The way the old man conveyed his feelings touched even Sonia who by now must have become used to such comments. She held the old man’s hand for a moment. Sonia’s enquiries from the families of those farmers who allegedly committed suicide due to indebtedness reminded newsmen of a similar exercise undertaken by Mrs Indira Gandhi when she was out of power in the late seventies. Indira had visited Belchi in Bihar to meet victims of atrocities on Dalits. Perhaps another takeoff from Indira was that for the first time Sonia covered her head in public in the manner of a traditional Hindu woman. After Sonia left in her motorcade (Indira had used an elephant in Belchi), a villager remarked: "Siaani se (She is intelligent)". Interestingly when her sister-in-law, Maneka, had first visited Haryana in the eighties as the President of the Sanjay Vichar Manch after she fell out with Indira, people remarked about her looks and not intellect. But then Maneka was just in her twenties at that time and Sonia is now on the wrong side of 50. While the debate on which group has gained within the Haryana Congress from Sonia’s visit will continue, one thing is certain — if her actions match her words (she has promised some help to the families of the victims), her party would gain tremendously. So far among the farming communities the Congress does not have much support. Informed sources say the think tanks of the party have decided to woo these communities in a big way by taking up their problems vigorously. A decision to this affect was taken at Pachmarhi. This explains why Sonia chose to ignore attempts by sceptics of Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala’s claims about suicides due to indebtedness to prevent her visit to Narwana. Now, as Mr Surjewala says, Sonia’s endorsement of the cause has made it a national issue. Even after giving a discount for exaggeration, one would have to agree that Sonia has cloaked the issue with credibility. Within the Haryana Congress the Sonia visit has sent a clear and loud message that Mr Surjewala is back in the reckoning. Contrary to earlier expectations in many quarters that Mr Surjewala may go in political oblivion after his retirement from the Rajya Sabha, by making the best use of his managerial skills and assisted by his MLA son, Randeep, Mr Surjewala has proved his enemies wrong. Interestingly, whenever any member of the Gandhi family had visited his traditional constituency, Narwana, Mr Surjewala faced opposition from his own partymen. It happened in 1982 when Mrs Indira Gandhi wanted to address an election meeting at Narwana. On the eve of her visit, the district administration sent a message that her helicopter could not land in Narwana. But she drove down from Delhi to Narwana and addressed the meeting as scheduled. In 1987 when Mr Rajiv Gandhi expressed his intention to visit Narwana, Mr Surjewala apprehended trouble for him from the then Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and the then Union Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, in the Assembly elections which were round the corner. But Rajiv assured him his full support and did visit the constituency. Sonia’s visit was virtually a replay of the earlier events. The Haryana Congress President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, too has been a gainer from Sonia’s visit. Notwithstanding a campaign launched against him by two important functionaries of the state unit of the party, Sonia obliquely made it clear in Rohtak where she addressed party workers that she had no intention of replacing Mr Hooda, at least in the near future. This should lead to a realignment of various sections of the Haryana Congress. Another outcome of Sonia’s visit has been in regard to Mr Bansi Lal. There had been a propaganda by his critics in the recent past that Mr Bansi Lal had been in touch with Sonia through his old contacts in the Congress. Sonia’s virtual
indictment of the Bansi Lal administration and the strong
reaction by two Haryana ministers, who particularly
referred to the AICC President’s links with
Quattrochi, should put all speculation about the alleged
plans of Mr Bansi Lal to join the Congress to a rest. |
Power cuts hit water drainage ROHTAK, Oct 16 — Frequent power breakdowns and uncooperative attitude of residents of the Meham region have made the task tough for the authorities to drain away the flood water that has accumulated in over nearly 16,000 acres of agricultural land of the Meham Chaubisi region. According to information received here, land in over 10 villages of the Meham region has been inundated for the past several days. The Irrigation Department has installed 196 electricity and diesel pumps. But due to frequent power failure and low voltage 110 electricity pumps are reportedly not functioning for most of the time. Officials of the Irrigation Department also admitted that the flood water could be drained away within a week if regular power supply was provided to them. Another factor that has affected the drainage away process is the uncooperative attitude of the farmers of the region. It is learnt that water has accumulated in certain low-lying areas. This water cannot be drained away to drain number 8 as the level of the drain was higher. Department officials told farmers that they would have to dig some temporary nullahas in fields of certain farmers to drain away the water to drain number 8. The department had installed additional pumps for the purpose. But farmers reportedly did not gave their approval to dig nullahs in their fields. This adversely affected the draining process in several villages. Officials have submitted a report to Mr P.K. Chaudhary, Commissioner, Rohtak and reportedly have complained against the frequent power breakdowns. They sought 24-hour power supply for the job. Residents of affected
villages are also sore over the erratic power supply. |
Haryana begins reform plans in power
sector HISAR, Oct 16 — With the formation of Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited and the Haryana Power Generation Corporation, the Haryana Government has started its programme of reform in the power sector. Both companies are government owned. Engineer-in-Chief (Design and Procurement) P.P. Mahashwari said the nigam at present had started laying out the infrastructure so as to ensure that electricity was supplied to the people round the clock. Mr Maheshwari pointed out that the nigam had already invited global tenders for the procurement of various equipment needed to augment and improve the electricity supply in the state. He said, the World Bank had already released one instalment of the loan amounting to Rs 240 crore. This money, he said, would be spent during the current financial year to ensure the early payment of the next instalment. Under the present programme, the nigam had been setting up stations and substations at different places for the efficient power supply. The idea was to reduce the losses in the distribution. The main idea behind the formation of different corporations out of the Haryana State Electricity Board was to make work more effective. The HVPNL had been assigned the task of transmission, while the corporation would be responsible for the power generation. Both would be owned by the Haryana Government. However, the distribution would be assigned to the private sector, with equal stakes of the government. The distribution work would be devided between two corporations which may be formed in the next few months. The state would be divided into two parts for the distribution work. It would be a trial experiment for a limited period of three to five years and the contract with any private company would be continued or cancelled after judging the overall performance. Allthough the nigam had invited global tenders for the supply of various equipments, all orders were bagged by Indian companies. Under the agreement with the World Bank, the nigam was supposed to invite global tenders. However, the Indian companies had been found to be more cost efficient. Mr Maheshwari sought to
clarify that the power reforms were aimed at improving
the efficiency and not privatising the power sector. He
said, it was the government which owned the nigams and
not the private companies. |
All mustard oil to be checked CHANDIGARH, Oct 16 — The Haryana Government has decided that all dealers of mustard oil can sell their oil whether in loose or in packages after prior testing from the State Food Laboratory, Chandigarh, and District Food Laboratory, Karnal, or any other laboratory approved by the Government that oil is free from argemone adulteration. The Director, Health Services, Mr P.L. Jindal, today said this decision had been taken at a review meeting which was held under the chairmanship of the Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Health Department. He said that this decision would be effective till December 15. This step had been taken with a view to ensuring easy availability of mustard oil in the State. He said it had also been decided that all the stock holders of mustard oil would get tested their oil samples from these laboratories. He said all the Civil Surgeons had been directed to ensure sampling under the Prevention Food Adulteration Act, 1954, so that the quality of the mustard oil could be maintained at all costs. He said that to ensure the availability of mustard oil in the market these laboratories had been directed to test all the samples or oil for the argemone test within three or four days. He further said that the food inspectors had been directed to collect more samples of mustard oil from rural and slum areas. The Commissioner and
Secretary, Food and Supplies Department, Commissioner and
Secretary, Agriculture Department, and other senior
officers of the Health Department were also present at
the meeting. |
Police association chief suspended ROHTAK, Oct 16 — The district president of the Haryana Police Association at Jhajjar has been placed under suspension by the police authorities on charges of dereliction of duty. While the SSP of Jhajjar, Mr Navdeep Singh, has described it as a routine decision, the association has criticised it and described it as improper and illegal. According to the association, sepoy Kuldip Singh had only reported the matter of shortage of infrastructure and non-payment of salary for past several months. The association alleged
that the action was taken only to harass the members of
the association. It has sent a fax message to the
Director-General of Police in this regard. |
HUDA nets Rs 7.9 crore in auction of
sites PANCHKULA, Oct 16 — Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) earned over Rs 7.90 crore at an auction of commercial sites in the urban estate held at the HUDA complex here today. Of the 55 commercial sites put up for auction, HUDA was able to sell only 20 sites. The rest of the sites were withdrawn. As compared to earlier auctions, the rush of prospective buyers at today's auction was less due to the inclement weather. The highest bid was attracted by a shop-cum-office (SCO) site in City Centre in Sector 5 which was sold for Rs 86.25 lakh against a reserved price of Rs 76.50 lakh. Another two SCO sites in the City Centre were sold for Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 5.75 lakh, respectively. A booth site in Sector 9 attracted the second highest bid of Rs 17.40 lakh as against the reserved price of Rs 11.10 lakh. Booth sites in Sector 21 which had attracted a high bid money had few takers this time. All the 12 booth sites put up for auction were withdrawn by HUDA. A SCO site in Sector 10
opposite the local bus stand was sold for Rs 121.35 lakh
as against a reserved price of Rs 117 lakh. The other
commercial sites sold at the auction were in sectors 2,
4, 6, 8, 11, 12, 15, 17 and Sector 5 of the Mata Mansa
Devi complex. |
Two PWD officials placed under suspension PANCHKULA, Oct 16 — Two Officers of the PWD (B&R) have been placed under suspension for allegedly committing irregularities in the construction of a road in the Kalka subdivision. The PWD officials — Mr NKGarg, an SDO, and Mr Jaga Ram, a JE — had allegedly embezzled funds sanctioned for the repair of Jalaudi - Mallah road in October, 1996. The police has registered a case under Sections 406, 409, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC against the erring officials on the basis of a complaint lodged by the Executive Engieer, Mr DKArora. The contractor Partap
Singh who was given the repair work of the road has also
been booked by the police. |
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