Haryana demands
Rs 350 crore
CHANDIGARH, Oct 21 — Haryana has demanded an immediate financial assistance of Rs 350 crore from the Centre to provide relief to farmers whose crops have been completely damaged due to the recent heavy rains.

Farmers get fair price
KURUKSHETRA, Oct 21 — Although mandis in Haryana are receiving 25 to 30 per cent damaged and raw paddy,the farmers are able to dispose of their produce, at by and large, reasonable price.

Haryana demands Rs 350 crore
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 21 — Haryana has demanded an immediate financial assistance of Rs 350 crore from the Centre to provide relief to farmers whose crops have been completely damaged due to the recent heavy rains.

The State has also requested the Centre to relax specifications of paddy and rice to be procured by the Food Corporation of India.

The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, has written to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, requesting him to send a central team to the State to assess the extensive damage caused to the crops in 9.08 lakh hectares. He said according to quick estimates, kharif crops worth Rs 2088 crore had been damaged in the State besides horticulture crops worth Rs 10.45 crore.

He said two spells of rain followed by strong winds in October had devastated the standing kharif crops of paddy, cotton, bajra and even sugarcane besides vegetable crops like potato, peas and other root crops and leafy vegetables.

The rains had also adversely affected the sowing of rabi crops. Toria and sarson, the sowing of which had been completed to the tune of 30 per cent, would have to be resown. The rains had also affected the procurement of paddy. As much as 87 per cent of the total paddy which arrived in the mandis up to October 16 had been purchased at a price higher than the minimum support price. Since there was no arrival of paddy on October 17, about 50,000 metric tonnes of paddy was lying unsold in the mandis. About 80 per cent of paddy weighing about 25 lakh tonnes was yet to arrive in the mandis. This large quantity of paddy, which was either standing in the fields or had been harvested, had been damaged due to the rains.

In view of the problem of discolouring and high moisture content, Mr Bansi Lal demanded that the norms adopted for the procurement of paddy should be relaxed. He said the percentage of moisture should be relaxed from 18 per cent to 22 per cent and that of damage and discolour from 3 per cent to 5 per cent. Similarly, the percentage of broken rice should be relaxed from 22 per cent to 30 per cent in case of raw rice and from 16 per cent to 20 per cent in case of parboiled rice. The percentage of damaged rice should be relaxed from 2 per cent to 5 per cent in case of raw rice and from 4 per cent to 5 per cent in case of parboiled rice. Similarly, the percentage of discolour should also be relaxed from 3 per cent in case of raw rice and 5 per cent in case of parboiled rice to 13 per cent.

Mr Bansi Lal also stressed that Grade A and common varieties of paddy should be exempted from levy up to October 30. Levy should also not be imposed on non-basmati rice exported to other countries. He also demanded adequate bonus for those farmers who had sold paddy below the support price. In case of custom milled rice the driage allowance should be increased by 2 per cent from 1 per cent.

He said 50 per cent basmati paddy and about 40 per cent Grade A paddy had been damaged. Loss to desi cotton varieties and American cotton range from 40 per cent to 45 per cent. Although the entire bajra crop had been harvested, 40 per cent of it had been damaged as almost half of the harvested crop was yet to be threshed. Kharif pulses, especially moong and urad, had suffered 60 per cent to 70 per cent loss. In case of arhar, the loss had been estimated at 15 per cent.

The Chief Minister also informed the Prime Minister that the horticulture crops had also suffered heavy damage. The worst affected was the potato crop followed by peas, root crops like carrot, radish, turnip, mushrooms and fruits. Nurseries of vegetables had also suffered leavy losses.

The sowing of potato which had already been completed in 3000 hectares had been damaged leading to the loss of about 9,000 metric tonnes of potato seed worth about Rs 7.20 crore.

Earlier variety of peas sown up to the first week of October had been completely damaged resulting in a loss of Rs 20 lakh in terms of seed only.

Farmers get fair price
By U.K. Bhanot
Tribune News Service

KURUKSHETRA, Oct 21 — Although mandis in Haryana are receiving 25 to 30 per cent damaged and raw paddy,the farmers are able to dispose of their produce, at by and large, reasonable price.

The mandis in this district have received some of the best paddy in the country. This is one reason that the millers are keen on purchasing even some of the rain-soaked paddy at support prices. Surprisingly,only 13 per cent of the paddy procured so far has been sold at below the support price. This is quite encouraging as damage to paddy has been quite widespread in the state. A large number of farmers have got prices higher than the support prices — some even more than Rs 500 per quintal for the produce. Of course there are others who did not get even Rs 400 per quintal because of the damaged paddy.

After having touched peak arrivals of 45,000 tonnes of paddy supplies mandis in Haryana have again started picking up. While the state mandis had received 15,584 tonnes of paddy on October 20, the arrivals today rose to more than 27,000 tonnes.

There were almost no arrivals in the state mandis on October 17 because of rains and again no arrivals on October 18 because of Sunday and very few arrivals on October 19 because of Divali. Merely 17,434 tonnes of paddy arrived in the mandis on the Divali day. Thus, it was on October 20 that farmers all over the state including several from Punjab territory brought their produce to the mandis in Haryana. The major markets of Ladwa, Pipli, Shahabad, Ismailabad and Pehowa in this district received more than 5,000 tonnes of high quality paddy yesterday and nearly 8,000 tonnes paddy today.

Similarly major markets of Kaithal, Cheeka, Siwan, Dhand, Pundri and Ramthali received 6,000 tonnes paddy yesterday and nearly 9,000 tonnes paddy today.

The farmers in Karnal district were reported to have brought 2,000 tonnes paddy in Karnal, Nissing, Nilokheri and Taraori mandis, an equal quantity was received in Sirsa district mandis of Rania, Ellenabad and Kalanwali and less than 1,000 tonnes in Ambala city.

Till last evening, 599,658 tonnes of paddy had been purchased in the state.

Out of this, the millers/dealers had purchased 5,77,377 tonnes of paddy. Out of the rest, the Haryana Agro Industries, the Haryana Warehousing Corporation, Confed and the Haryana Food and Supplies Department, which entered the mandis only last year have purchased 867 tonnes, 1403 tonnes, 153 tonnes and 2252 tonnes respectively says Mr S.S. Dhillon, Director Food and Supplies Department, Haryana.

Out of the remaining the FCI has purchased 11,485 tonnes and Hafed 6,121 tonnes.

While the farmers who brought damaged paddy including short-sized green coloured, discoloured and raw grains assert that the government should enter the market in a big way to buy whatever quality they had brought to the market as the support prices fixed by the government, the official agencies are not inclined to buy damaged paddy at support prices because the FCI itself will not accept poor quality rice from any of the agencies in the field because of strict specifications. It is only the millers who negotiate with the farmers according to quality of paddy available to strike a deal.

Even last year, says Mr Dhillon the government agencies had not bought much paddy. Out of total arrivals of 30 lakh tonnes the state agencies had purchased only 1.52 lakh tonnes and rest had been purchased by millers/traders.

20pc crop damage in Yamunanagar
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Oct 21 — The Irrigation Department has pressed twenty pumping sets for dewatering waterlogged fields. It claimed the areas would be completely drained by November 15.

Mrs Surina Rajan, Deputy Commissioner, Yamunanagar while touring the flood-affected area informed here today said sowing of the rabi crops would start in time. She said crop loss were of 15 to 20 per cent magnitude in the district. She said girdawri of the crop is in progress and the actual figures would be ascertained after the completion of girdawri by October 31. The worst affected villages were Kalanaur, Kamalpur Tapu, Unheri, Jathlana, Sandhali, Gumthala, Kandrauli and Rajheri.

She admitted extensive damage to the Yamunanagar Saharanpur highway and link roads to villages near the river. Mr ICGupta, Chief Engineer Western Yamuna Canal Hydel project said generation of all the three power houses (48 mw) had remained suspended on account of unprecedented rain. From yesterday evening the power house restarted generation.

Plea for all-party meeting on paddy loss
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Oct 21 — Mr Virender Singh, a former Irrigation and Power Minister, Haryana, has urged Mr Bansi Lal, Chief Minister, to call an all-party meeting to pressurise the Union Government to grant relief for the farmers whose crops have been damaged in unseasonable rain.

He said in a statement here today that the incessant rain for the past four days had dashed all hopes of the farmers who had already suffered because of a long dry spell and then heavy rain five weeks ago. The agony of those farmers was more serious in whose fields water was stagnating.

According to Mr Virender Singh, the recent rain had not only caused heavy damage to the standing paddy and cotton crops but also hit the cropping schedule for the rabi season. The sowing of toria and mustard had already delayed, forcing the farmers to miss the sowing of sunflower. Water was stagnating in about 15 lakh acres of land.

The present inadequate arrangements to drain out water might delay the sowing of wheat.

He said the procurement operations have also been affected by the rain. Heaps of soaked paddy were lying in mandis all over the state. On the other hand, the government agencies were not lifting their produce in the present weather conditions.

Mr Virender Singh said that the farming community in Haryana was in distress, facing the worstever crisis.

He demanded immediate relief measures in the form of compensation bonus on paddy and cotton, draining out the standing water on a war footing and putting of recovery of bank loans.

‘Rath yatra’ for quota in Assemblies
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Oct 21 — The Haryana Backward Classes Sangh and Samajwadi Labour Party Haryana would jointly organise a "rath yatra" from Dabwali to Delhi in support of their demand for reservation of seats in State Assemblies and Parliament for dalits back' ward and minority communities and women. Stating this here today Mr Dalip Singh Shastri, President Haryana Backward Classes Sangh said the "Rath Yatra" would start from Dabwali on November, 18 and reach Delhi on December 4, passing through towns and villages of Haryana.

Mr Shastri said on the arrival of the yatra at Delhi on 4 December, a rally would be held there. He said the route of the rath yatra would be announced on October, 21, at a meeting of the sangh to be held at Jind.

Demonstration, dharna by
Congress activists
From Our Correspondent

JIND, Oct 21 — Congress activists led by Mr Karamvir Saini, joint secretary, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, held a demonstration and staged a dharna in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner here today to press for the dewatering of flooded areas in the Jind and Julana blocks of this district.

Addressing the demonstrators, Mr Saini said the HVP-BJP government of Haryana came to power by making tall promises to the people, but it had failed to fulfil these promises. He said the Bansi Lal government had failed on all fronts and had no moral right to remain in power.

Mr Saini said the recent rain had caused havoc and kharif crops had been damaged considerably. He said rain water was still standing in the fields. He alleged that the Haryana government had not taken adequate steps to drain out rain and flood water from the fields. He said the farmers would not be able to sow rabi if the water was not immediately draindout.

The Congress men demanded a compensation of Rs 10000 per acre for the crops destroyed due the rain and floods. They also demanded waiving of electricity bills and postponing of recovery of loans from the affected farmers at least for one year. Later they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner.

Health Dept orders survey of cantt
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Oct 21 — After several cases of gastroenteritis were reported from some localities in the cantonment here, Health Department officials today ordered a survey of these areas.

Ten cases with symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting were reported at the civil hospital in the cantonment from October 15 to 20. The Senior Medical Officer of the hospital, Dr Vinay Gupta, said the patients did not seem to be suffering from cholera and no tests were conducted. The patients were found to be suffering from gastroenteritis.

Two minor children of Mr Rajan, a resident of Teli Mandi in Bengali Mohalla, died of diarrhoea and vomiting during the last few days. His third child, Golu (5), was also admitted to the civil hospital and was lucky to have survived.

Mrs Angoori Devi, wife of Mr Mehar Singh, a municipal councillor, was also admitted to the hospital on October 16 in a critical condition. Mr Mehar Singh alleged the disease had broken out due to faulty drinking water pipelines in the area.

Residents, he said, were forced to drink contaminated water as the pipelines had got burst at several places in the locality. When the complaints failed to move the public health officials, he raised the matter at the meeting of the district grievances committee which was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner.

Mr Mehar Singh pointed out that several patients had got treatment at private hospitals and the wife of an ex-serviceman had been admitted to the military hospital.

Inquiries made by the health officials today revealed the disease was under control today. Residents have been advised to boil drinking water as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, residents of the PWD Colony in the cantonment have also complained against the insanitary conditions prevailing in the houses occupied by lower rung officials.

The sewage water accumulated in the houses forced inmates to rush to senior officials for help on Divali. A woman resident lamented though senior officials paid scant attention to the maintenance of this portion of the colony. She pointed out the broken windows, accumulation of rainy water in the lanes and absence of streetlights. She feared a widespread outbreak of the disease if preventive steps were not taken immediately.

The sewerage water being pumped out from the houses was accumulating at a place within the locality itself which could lead to unhygienic conditions, the residents said.

Pensioners seek relief
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 21 — The Haryana Government Retired Officers Welfare Association has sought the State Government's sympathy for the pensioners who had not yet been given their due. The pensioners, says Mr T.R. Tuli, General Secretary of the association, have demanded relief on the pattern of the Central Pay Commission's recommendations.

Unfortunately, he says, in spite of the Central Government's orders for bringing about parity in the revision of pension of the officers who retired before 1.1.1986, regarding release of second instalment of 50 per cent of arrears of revision of pension, revision of family pension at the rate of 30 per cent of last pay drawn w.e.f 1.1.1996 and treatment of 20 per cent DA as DP for the purpose of gratuity of persons who retired between 16.3.93 and 31.3.95, the State Government was still keeping the matter pending.

Similarly, he said the pensioners had not yet been given the increase of Rs 25 in the fixed medical allowance allowed per month.

Life term for murder
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Oct 21 — Mr P.L. Goyal, Additional District and Sessions Judge, today sentenced Duli Chand of Dhatir village to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on him for murdering Raj Pal of the same village on November 13, 1995.

The judge also sentenced Jagdish, Mukesh, Pat Ram, Gian Chand and Samay Singh to undergo two years rigorous imprisonment and to pay a fine Rs 10,000 each for the murder of Tejpal under Section 148 of the IPC and a further term of six months under section 323 of the IPC for causing injuries to Sukhi and Rajender, who intervened to save Tejpal.

Mr Goyal also directed that Rs 90,000 collected as fine from the accused should be paid to the widow of Tej Pal as compensation.