Haryana seeks Rs 740 crore
CHANDIGARH, Oct 29 — The Haryana Government has more than doubled its demand for financial assistance from the Central Government to compensate those who had suffered heavy loss due to unseasonal rains recently.

Sugar mill incurs heavy losses
ROHTAK, Oct 29 — The Haryana Cooperative Sugar Mills, Rohtak, the oldest in the cooperative sector, is facing a severe financial crisis. If the government fails to come to its rescue immediately, the mill will not be able to pay for the sugarcane it proposes to purchase in the coming crushing season.

Khaps condemn Sahib Singh's removal
SONEPAT, Oct 29 — The Bharatiya Gramin Anchal Samiti has condemned the removal of Mr Sahib Singh Verma, from the Chief Ministership of Delhi by the BJP and described the act as anti-rural and unwarranted.

Haryana Day festival begins
KURUKSHETRA Oct 29 — A three-day state-level Haryana Day Festival of Kurukshetra University began here at the campus today. Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Director, North-Zone Culture Centre, Patiala, inaugurated the festival.

Post specialists in hospitals: Maneka
FARIDABAD, Oct 29 — Mrs Maneka Gandhi, Union Welfare Minister, has called for the appointment of a specialist in every hospital of the country to perform surgery on polio patients so that the country could become polio free.

Central team's visit eyewash, says BJP
ROHTAK, Oct 29 — The BJP has described the recent visit by a central team to the submerged areas of the Meham Chaubisi region as an eyewash.

Sugarcane growers' plea to govt
KURUKSHETRA, Oct 29 — Sugarcane growers of Kurukshetra, Yamuna Nagar and Karnal districts have urged the Haryana Government to affiliate their areas with a privately managed sugar mill situated at Bhadson village in this district.

• Environment court summons actress
• Cashier suspended for burning notes
• Narrow-gauge rail coach rolls out
• Lok Adalat at Karnal

Haryana seeks Rs 740 crore
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 29 — The Haryana Government has more than doubled its demand for financial assistance from the Central Government to compensate those who had suffered heavy loss due to unseasonal rains recently.

The State Government, which had earlier sought Rs 350 crore from the Centre, has now demanded Rs 740 crore. The new demand was made in a revised memorandum submitted by the Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Revenue, Mr K.G. Verma, to an eight-member central team led by Mr J.P. Negi, Executive Director, National Horticulture Board, here today.

The central team called on the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and also met the Chief Secretary, Mr Ram S. Varma, today.

The team toured Rohtak, Jhajjar, Kaithal and Jind districts during the past three days to see for itself the damage caused by unseasonal rains and strong winds in the State. It would also visit Yamunanagar, Karnal and Panipat districts, especially the areas adjacent to the Yamuna.

An official spokesman said here today that the earlier demand for Rs 350 crore was based on quick estimates and included the loss suffered by the kharif and horticulture crops.

The State Government had now demanded Rs 115 crore for repair of roads, Rs 11.55 crore for veterinary care, Rs 20 crore for health and Rs 1.25 crore to pay compensation to those whose houses had been damaged.

The State demanded a minimum of Rs 385 crore immediately to mitigate the sufferings of the farmers. In addition, it demanded Rs 137.25 crore for providing subsidy on agriculture inputs. Another Rs 69.87 crore was required for dewatering operations and to compensate those farmers who might not be able to sow rabi crops. A total of 10.53 lakh hectares of cultivated area had been adversely affected by the rains in the State.

Mr Bansi Lal told the team that the norms for giving compensation to the people affected by natural calamities should be revised and the compensation should be adequate and timely. The State Government had immediately ordered special girdawri besides deferring crop loans. He had himself made aerial survey thrice to assess the damage caused by the rains.

He told Mr Negi that the flood waters from the adjoining districts of Patiala and Ropar in Punjab damaged the crops in Ambala district.

Mr Bansi Lal said soon after assuming office his government had formulated and implemented a comprehensive plan to improve the drainage system in the State. One project had already been submitted to NABARD and an ambitious master plan was being prepared to make Haryana free from future floods. A drain would be constructed between Hisar and the Ghaggar to drain out flood waters.

Supporting the demand of the rice millers to make levy on rice optional, Mr Bansi Lal said the crops were levelled to the ground by the strong winds and heavy rain. One could see bajra, paddy and cotton germinating. The seeds of potato sown recently were fully damaged as the heavy rain was followed by bright sun.

The Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Mr L.M. Jain, and the Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Mr D.S. Dhesi, were also present at the meeting.

Earlier, the team discussed in detail the damage caused by the rains with Mr Varma. Senior officers of various departments were also present.

Appreciating the gesture of the Central Government in deputing the high-level team at a very short notice to the State, Mr Varma urged Mr Negi that the concessions announced for Punjab in similar situation should also be applicable to Haryana.

Sugar mill incurs heavy losses
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, Oct 29 — The Haryana Cooperative Sugar Mills, Rohtak, the oldest in the cooperative sector, is facing a severe financial crisis. If the government fails to come to its rescue immediately, the mill will not be able to pay for the sugarcane it proposes to purchase in the coming crushing season.

The sugar mill was set up here in 1954 and started its maiden season on January 31, 1957. The state government had contributed Rs 20 lakh towards share capital of the mill which had a crushing capacity of 1000 metric tonnes per day. Its crushing capacity was expanded to 1250 metric tonnes in 1967-68 and later to 1750 metric tonnes in 1977-78.

The problems of the mill started after the second expansion due to several imbalances in the installation of the plant and machinery. The mill started incurring heavy losses after this expansion and moved the apex court against the agency that had installed the plant and machinery. The Supreme Court appointed an arbitrator. The proceedings are still pending in the court of the arbitrator.

Although the mill has been struggling for funds for the past 20 years, it kept the wheels moving by raising loans from the state government and cooperative banks. It also stopped making payment of cane purchase tax to the government. At times, the payment for sugarcane to farmers was also withheld by the mill.

As a result of incurring heavy losses year after year, the mill was not in a position to repay the loan amount. The mill has to pay an interest of Rs 91.99 lakh on the loan worth Rs 50 lakh which it had taken from the government in 1978-79. The mill has to pay Rs 143.62 lakh as cane purchase tax arrears. An amount of Rs 89.83 lakh has accrued as interest on it.

The accumulated losses of the mill on March 31, 1998, were to the tune of Rs 349.44 lakh. Its total liabilities till this date were Rs 1150 lakh. This includes a loan of Rs 250.54 lakh taken from the Centre under the Sugar Development Fund (SDF) and an interest of Rs 14.28 lakh on this amount. The liability also includes the loan of Rs 320 lakh taken by the mill from Rohtak Central Cooperative Bank as crop and unsecured loan.

As a result of recurring losses, the mill makes minimum capital investment in plant and machinery. In fact, the available funds are utilised solely for payment of salary and wages to the employees, heavy interest on various borrowings from the banks and short-term loans from other cooperative sugar mills in the state.

The mill spent from its own resources an amount of Rs 130 lakh in 1993 to convert the manufacturing process of the plant and machinery from double carbonation and double sulphitation to sulphitation plant. This investment precipitated the financial crisis. The present situation has become so acute that the survival of the mill is at stake now. If the government offers minimum financial assistance of Rs 500 lakh the mill may survive.

The mill authorities have urged the government to exempt the mill from payment of cane purchase tax and octroi. The government has already exempted few cooperative mills in the state from the payment of cane purchase tax.

Similarly, only two out of 10 cooperative sugar mills in Haryana are situated within the municipal limits. These are at Rohtak and Panipat. The government multiplied the problems of these mills by enhancing the octroi from five paise per quintal to 25 paise.

Interestingly, the cooperative sugar mill at Panipat has also accumulated losses to the tune of Rs 30 crore. These two exemptions are likely to help both the mills to some extent.

Civic byelections on Dec 19
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 29 — The Haryana State Election Commission has decided to hold election to the Municipal Committee, Pinjore, and byelections to ward No 3, 17 and 3 of Municipal Councils, Ambala Sadar, Sonepat and Narnaul and ward No 2 and 7 of Municipal Committee, Tosham, district Bhiwani; and Barwala, district Hisar, respectively on December 19 next. The notification prescribing the election time schedule was issued today by the Commission.

Mr J.K. Duggal, State Election Commissioner, said here today that notice would be published by the returning officer concerned for inviting the nomination on November 3. Nomination papers would be presented from November 13 to 17 between 11 a.m and 3 p.m and scrutiny thereof will be held on November 18 between 11 a.m and 3 p.m. The last date for making application for the revision of order of the returning officer scrutinising the nomination papers to the Deputy Commissioner is November 21 and the same would be disposed of by the Deputy Commissioner by November 23. The last date for withdrawal was November 24 and the poll, if any, would be held on December 19 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The model code of conduct in respect of the aforesaid municipalities has come into force from today. No officer or official connected with the election work in the aforementioned municipalities would be transferred till the completion of the election process.

Khaps condemn Sahib Singh's removal
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 29 — The Bharatiya Gramin Anchal Samiti has condemned the removal of Mr Sahib Singh Verma, from the Chief Ministership of Delhi by the BJP and described the act as anti-rural and unwarranted.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at a meeting of the samiti held here today. Mr Lakhi Ram, president of 360 khaps presided over the meeting. Representatives of various khaps from Haryana, Delhi, UP and Rajasthan also participated.

The meeting also resolved to take part in the Sarv Khap Panchayat scheduled to be held on October 31 at Dhewra village for taking a united decision to oppose the BJP candidates in the ensuing assembly elections in Delhi.

By another resolution, the meeting urged the state government to grant suitable compensation to those farmers whose crops had been damaged in the recent rain and storms. It also demanded the immediate completion of the dewatering operations so that the affected farmers could sow the rabi crops on time.

The meeting also urged the state government to amend the Panchayati Raj Act and grant more powers to the gram panchayats for playing a vital role in the administration as well as in the development activities.

Hali Award amount increased
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 29— The Haryana Government has raised the amount of the Hali Award from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for promotion of Urdu language in the State.

This was disclosed by the Haryana Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, while speaking after the inauguration of an all-India mushaira, organised by the State Urdu Akademi in collaboration with the State Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Departments, to mark the Haryana Day celebrations here last evening.

Mr Sharma called upon the Urdu poets to imbibe the spirit of universal love and brotherhood among the people through their inspiring poetry. He urged the poets to write such emotional verses which should be felt as the voice of the heart and soul.

He released the translated version of a novel "Sindoor ki Raakh" originally written in Urdu by Kashmiri Lal Zakir, Secretary, Haryana Urdu Akademi, and translated by him in Hindi. This is the 100th book of Zakir. Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Education Department released a publication of the Akademi, "Temmere-Yaas" written by Nairang Sarhadi.

Haryana Day festival begins
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA Oct 29 — A three-day state-level Haryana Day Festival of Kurukshetra University began here at the campus today. Mr S.K. Ahluwalia, Director, North-Zone Culture Centre, Patiala, inaugurated the festival.

Students, comprising 28 teams from various colleges and universities of Haryana, are participating in the festival.

In his presidential address, the Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Dr M.L. Ranga, said the festival provided an opportunity to the youth to gather on the platform and display their talents. He said Haryana had premier status in cultural activities and demanded arrangement of foreign trips for student artists of Haryana so that they could bring name to the nation by highlighting their talent and skill overseas.

Mr S.K. Ahluwalia said the artists who attain positions in the festival would be given chance to join in "cultural yatra" which would visit states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.

Post specialists in hospitals: Maneka
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Oct 29 — Mrs Maneka Gandhi, Union Welfare Minister, has called for the appointment of a specialist in every hospital of the country to perform surgery on polio patients so that the country could become polio free.

Addressing the concluding day function of a three-day free polio surgery camp here last evening, Mrs Gandhi expressed concern at the rise in polio cases in the country. She hoped that the current campaign against polio would be able to contain the disease during the next 10 years.

Mrs Gandhi assured that her ministry would extend all help to non-government organisations in the war against polio.

More than 150 polio operations were performed during the camp.

Narrow-gauge rail coach rolls out
From Our Correspondent

KALKA, Oct 29 — Chief Mechanical Engineer V.K. Vij of the Northern Railway today inaugurated the first coach built in the local railway workshop for narrow-gauge trains. The new coach will replace the old coaches.

Mr I.P. Singh, Works Manager, Kalka, said the coach had been built keeping in mind comfort of passengers and had PVC flooring and sunmica. The workshop has an order from the Western Railway for six similar coaches which are to be completed by March, 1999.

Cashier suspended for burning notes
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 29 — A Punjab National Bank head cashier is reported to have burnt the currency notes worth Rs 38,502 at Khanpur Kalan village in this district.

According to a report today, he had allegedly misappropriated Rs 5,67,086 and had devised a plan to show that the currency notes had been burnt. However, some of the bank employees got suspicious when they smelt paper burning. They rushed to the cash cabin and caught the accused.

The bank authorities suspended him and handed him over to the police.

Lok Adalat at Karnal
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH,Oct 29 --- The Haryana State Legal Services Authority will hold the 912th Lok Adalat of Haryana at Karnal on October 31.

Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar of the Punjab and Haryana High Court will inaugurate the Lok Adalat while Mr Justice V.K. Bali, Executive Chairman, Haryana State Legal Services Authority, would preside over the function.

Environment court summons actress
Tribune News Service

HISAR, Oct 29 — Noted Haryanvi film actress Usha Sharma of "Chandrawal" fame has been summoned by the special environment court here for illegally occupying 4,000 square metres of forest land.

According to the summons issued today by the presiding officer of the court, Mr Ghulabh Singh, Usha Sharma has been asked to appear before the court on November 16.

She is alleged to have occupied 4000 square metres of forest land illegally at Morni near Pinjore, causing a loss of Rs 88,000 to the Forest Department.

The summons were issued under the Forest Act of 1927.

Central team's visit eyewash, says BJP
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 29 — The BJP has described the recent visit by a central team to the submerged areas of the Meham Chaubisi region as an eyewash.

Mr Satish Rathi, BJP president of Meham subdivision, said today that almost all villages in the region had been inundated for the past over one month but the central team had visited only a few villages and neglected several villages where the situation was worse.

BJP leaders alleged that it had not served any purpose as the district authorities had only completed formalities in the name of a survey.

They demanded a fresh survey of the flood-hit villages of the region and a compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre to the affected farmers. A party meeting has been convened at Meham on November 11 to discuss the issue.

Sugarcane growers' plea to govt
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, Oct 29 — Sugarcane growers of Kurukshetra, Yamuna Nagar and Karnal districts have urged the Haryana Government to affiliate their areas with a privately managed sugar mill situated at Bhadson village in this district.

In their representations to Mr Bansi Lal, Chief Minister and the Haryana Sugarcane Control Board, the growers, including sarpanches of 45 villages including Musipur, Samaspur, Kalsoda, Japti Chhapra, Islamnagar, Kartarpur, Tansango, Gadpur, Tappu, Gadi Birbal, Kalra, Biana, Biani, Dabkauli, Chhorpur, Bibipur, Randoli, Chandsamad, Rindal, Sambi, Chandrao, Majra Chandrao, Hansu Majra, Chogama and Kukni, said at present they had to deliver their produce at Cooperative Sugar Mill, Karnal, about 35 km from their villages, while the Bhadson sugar mill was situated at the distance of only 15 km.

They have further alleged that they were being compelled to sell their surplus sugarcane crop to the private crushers at cheaper rates because they were allowed to sell the fixed quantity of sugarcane to Cooperative Sugar Mill, Karnal, due to the wrong policy of the state government.