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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Friday, September 18, 1998 |
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Farmers selling land in desperation SIRSA, Sept 17 — Poor rainfall this season has added to the misery of farmers of this district with a large area under paddy going dry.Reports from various parts of the district said some farmers had even sold their landholdings in desperation. 87 pc Haryana voters issued I-cards KURUKSHETRA, Sept 17 — Haryana currently tops the list of states where voters have been issued computerised photo-identity cards, state Chief Electoral Officer Chander Singh said here today. |
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 Rs 45-crore loan for HUDA CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — The Haryana Urban Development Authority has obtained a loan of over Rs 45.52 crore from the National Capital Region Planning Board, New Delhi, for the development of residential sectors in Palwal, Faridabad, Panipat and Rewari. |
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Congress for central team to review
law, order |
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Farmers selling land in
desperation SIRSA, Sept 17 — Poor rainfall this season has added to the misery of farmers of this district with a large area under paddy going dry. Reports from various parts of the district said some farmers had even sold their landholdings in desperation. The farmers in this district who usually grew cotton, were forced to opt for paddy after the cotton crop was attacked by a disease leading to a decline in its production. All seemed well till the unexpectedly low rainfall dashed the hopes of the farmers as most of the paddy was ruined for want of water. It is an irony that a large area in the district has been affected by the problem of water logging. The farmers could not grow wheat as land in large parts of the district remained under water. In the Dharbha Kallan assembly segment particularly most farmers could not grow wheat as their land was under water. During the kharif season they had expected to make up for the losses. But the dry season spell has spelled ruin for them. As in other parts of the state, the economy in Sirsa district is agriculture based. The decline in agriculture production has also led to a decline in trade. The farmers would usually take loans from the traders or money-lenders and return the same with interest after the harvest season. But due to failure of crops for the past four years, the money-lenders and traders have been reluctant to lend them money. Even if they do agree to give money, they charge high interest rates up to 7 per cent. According to a leading farmer of Chautala village in Dabwali subdivision of Sirsa district, there have been several instances of farmers selling their land for repayment of debts. This, he said, had led to a considerable fall in the prices of agriculture land. The land which would sell for Rs 2 lakh per hectare was now being sold for Rs 1 lakh per hectare.
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87 pc Haryana voters issued I-cards KURUKSHETRA, Sept 17 (UNI) — Haryana currently tops the list of states where voters have been issued computerised photo-identity cards, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Chander Singh said here today. Eightyseven per cent of voters in the state own voters’ I-cards which could be used for the next elections, he told reporters here while on a state visit regarding preparation of the cards. The CEO said all 19 districts of the state had been provided with the latest computer technology which would help them feed all relevant information about the voters of the district. The work was being carried out under the supervision of the District Returning Officer, which was mostly the District Magistrate, he added. About the state’s district-wise break-up on voters possessing I-cards, Mr Chander Singh said Fatehabad topped the list with 92 per cent. Regarding the assembly constituency list, he said Ratia in Fatehabad district stood first with 97 per cent. The CEO said during the next elections the computers at the district level would be connected to the computer at the state main headquarters. As the state headquarters was being linked with the Chief Election Commission at Delhi, every available information could be cross-checked and doubts cleared, he pointed out. Mr Chander Singh said the election offices in every district had been instructed to enlist the new voters provided they fulfilled the requisite conditions. This included an undertaking by the new voters that his or her name had not been repeated elsewhere in the list. "This has been done to avoid duplicacy of voters and also to protect them for unnecessary harassment and penal punishment,’’ he said. During the last general election of the Lok Sabha and the Haryana Vidhan Sabha re-polling was conducted only at four polling booths in the state. Employees of the state or central government put on duty in any capacity were paid their TA/DA in advance. "Not even a single paise was due to the election office after the election process. Advance payment was enforced and the employees were keen for duty,’’ he claimed.
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Rs 45-crore loan for HUDA CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has obtained a loan of over Rs 45.52 crore from the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), New Delhi, for the development of residential Sector 2 in Palwal Sector 18 in Panipat Sector 2 in Faridabad and Sector 4 in Rewari besides accelerating the pace of development in these important Haryana towns falling in the national capital region. The Haryana Cabinet which met here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, agreed to give guarantee of the State Government to the NCRPB for the loan which has already been sanctioned. A loan of Rs 673.55 lakh has been sanctioned for Palwal, Rs 1500 lakh for Panipat, Rs 1872 lakh for Faridabad and Rs 506.59 lakh for Rewari. The Haryana Housing Board has decided to construct 120 single-storey houses of low income group and middle income group categories in Sector 13 and Sector 17 of Panipat at an estimated expenditure of Rs 225.62 lakh for which the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO), New Delhi has sanctioned a loan of Rs 166.18 lakh. The Cabinet agreed to give guarantee of the State Government to HUDCO for this loan. The Cabinet also gave its approval to make an amendment in Rule 9 of the Punjab Superior Judicial Service Rules, 1963 (as applicable to the State of Haryana). These rules will now be called the Punjab Superior Judicial Service (Haryana Second Amendment) Rules, 1998. Also the words "his appointment is made" will be substituted with the words "the application is invited" in the Rule 9 sub-rule (1), clause (1) of the Punjab Superior Judicial Service Rules, 1963. The Cabinet also gave the guarantee of the State Government for raising a loan of Rs 11 crore from the Small Industries Development Bank of India by the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation. The cabinet also approved the transfer of 13 kanals of land of Government College, Mohendragarh to the Forests Department in lieu of equal piece of land from the Forests Department to Government College of Women, Mohendragarh.
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Congress for central team to review
law, order BHIWANI, Sept 17 — Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has sought that in a central team review the deteriorating law and order situation in Haryana. Stating that situation in Haryana was worse than Bihar, he demanded the dismissal of the state Government. Mr Hooda was addressing a press conference here today at a local PWD Rest House after submitting a memorandum, consisting of various demands to the Governor through the Deputy Commissioner, Bhiwani. The Congress leader said the HVP-BJP coalition government had lost moral authority to remain in power and demanded new elections in the state. Alleging that Mr O.P. Chautala was playing a double role by supporting the BJP at the centre he said he had not right to be the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. He flayed Mr Chautala for betraying the public by compromising with the BJP for a seat in the Rajya Sabha for his father Mr Devi Lal. Referring to the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Mr Hooda pointed out that it was matter of concern that politicians here giving shelter to the criminals. He demanded that the state government should not come under pressure and punish such criminals. Referring to the Cauvery waters issued he asked the Chief Minister or the Opposition leader to call as all- party meeting in this connection to press the Union Government for the implementation of its interim report. He said politicians had been winning elections by raking up the SYL canal issue for the last 20 years but the matter was yet to be resolved. Expressing faith in the leadership of Ms Sonia Gandhi he said the Congress would come to power during the ensuing elections and Ms Sonia Gandhi will pay a visit to Haryana shortly.
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CSIO chief on role of
instrumentation AMBALA, Sept 16 — "Though instrumentation may not have reached a stage where one could determine for how long a person may live, yet from the genetic code of a person one can definitely learn the general expectancy of one's life." This was stated by Dr S. Mohan, Director of the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Chandigarh, while delivering the ninth Gian Chand Jain Memorial Lecture on "The role of instrumentation in improving the quality of life" last evening. Dr Mohan said the field of instrumentation gradually emerged as an ideal combination of different disciplines of engineering and science such as mechanical and electrical engineering and physics, chemistry, biology and sensors. During the past two or three decades, the research and development in instrumentation had resulted in the invention of products such as TV, computers, lasers, robots, micromachines, smart sensors, satellites, space ships, resulting in enormous growth of communication, entertainment, transport, medicine, agriculture, energy and food processing sectors. Dr Mohan said the invention of computer had marvellous impact on the quality of life. It had not only made the housewife's life comfortable by the invention of fuzzy logic washing machines and interactive TV but had also made virtual 24-hour offices possible. The computers had also introduced a new field, telemedicines, which would be helpful not only to the patient but also to doctors. The Gian Chand Jain Memorial Foundation, which organised the lecture, also conferred the Scientist of Year Award on Dr Mahesh Chander, Head, National Calibration Services Programme, National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, for his outstanding contribution in the field of Calibration technology and metrology. The Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred upon Mr Daulat Ram Sharma, a local inventor and social worker. The Chairman of the foundation, Mr N.C. Jain, said from this year the foundation had decided to give prizes to four students whose question would be adjudged as best by the chief guest. Three students of S.D. Public School and one student of Bharatiya Public School were given the prizes.
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3-hour
power cut hits people FATEHABAD: The people in this district are facing one of the worst power crises in the recent times. The Haryana State Electricity Board has imposed a three-hour power cut on the urban sector. The power remains off from 9 a.m. to 12 noon during one week and from 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. during the next week by rotation. These are the announced power cuts. But there is no count of the unannounced power cuts. Power plays truant of and on. Power tripping is a common feature. The explanation given by the board is that power is being supplied to the agricultural sector. But the farmers have their own story to tell. They also complain of the poor power situation. The Executive Engineer, HSEB, Mr R.K. Aggarwal, however, maintains that the power situation in this district is much better than in other districts. * * * Anti-encroachment drive fails: The district administration had started a special drive to remove encroachments on government property last month. To start with, officials of the Market Committee had removed the unauthorised structures from the local grain market. Almost all the shopkeepers of the local grain market had usurped the lobbies in front of their shops. A team of officials led by committee secretary Nachhatar Singh Malhan demolished the unauthorised structures, though the move was resisted strongly by shopkeepers. The administration had also served notices on the persons who have raised structures behind the shops in the grain market. The administration has not taken any steps to remove these encroachments. According to reliable sources, the drive lost its momentum with the transfer of the Deputy Commissioner, Mr P.C. Bidhan, from here. The new incumbent, Mr K.S. Yadav, it is learnt, is not very keen on the drive. * * * The forest department is celebrating its month-long Vanamahotsava programme here these days. The department under the supervision of Mr Vinod Bhatia, Divisional Forest Officer has been organising tree plantation programmes at different places, including the mini-secretariat building, colleges and schools. Such programmes were also organised at Shekhpur Daroli, Rattia and Bhuna villages. According to Mr Bhatia, the department had a target of planting 5.9 lakh saplings. * * * The condition of almost all roads in this district headquarters are in a state of disrepair. The only road, which can be said to be in a satisfactory condition, is the national highway No. 10. All other roads are in bad shape. Be it the Rattia road, Vichar Ashram road, Baghichi road, Thana road, DSP road, Basti Bhiwan road or Sanyas Ashram road. Potholes have not been repaired for years. Rain water can be seen standing on the road. Repeated complaints by residents have failed to move the administration. * * * "Parivartan", a private organisation launched by some youths to develop intellect amongst children, organised a quiz competition in the local Tagore Bal Niketan School. Twenty teams from different schools of the town participated in the competition. * * * The local Dayaram Public School organised a "teachers effectiveness" workshop for the teachers. Mr D.P. Mutsuddi, Divisional Manager and head of the Education Department, Tata Steels, Jamshedpur, imparted training in the effective ways of teaching. According to Dr Arpita Chatterjee, principal of the school, such training workshops would be organised every year in the school.
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Dera member fears threat to
life KAITHAL, Sept 17 — The controversy over the alleged grabbing of properties of Dera Baba Sheetalpuri here took a new turn, when Mr S. Kumar, a member of the Dera Bachao Samiti, who is also president of the district Congress (I) Committee, Kaithal in a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, alleged that he was being threatened by some persons, who intended to grab the dera property. Mr Kumar pointed out that the previous dera mahant Baba Sukhdevpuri had become incapacitated to look after the dera affairs and had given the power of attorney and charge of the dera to Baba Vishwanathpuri. The latter, after taking over the charge, shunted out some workers who were allegedly involved in committing irregularities in the working of the dera. Mr Kumar has alleged that the shunted out persons were threatening him and other dera inmates with dire consequences and these persons were being patronised by Haryana Finance Minister Charan Dass Shorewala and his brother Amar Singh Shorewala, chairman, municipal council, Kaithal. He has requested the Chief Minister to direct these persons not to interfere in the dera affairs and demanded a high-level inquiry into the whole episode.
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Vigilance chief’s appointment challenged CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 (PTI) — A public interest litigation accusing Haryana Chief Minister Bansi Lal of appointing a retired IPS officer as state Vigilance Commissioner to promote his "personal and political interests", was today admitted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The petition filed by a retired IAS officer, Mr R.S. Malik, said the creation of the post of state Vigilance Commissioner, while keeping the post of Director, vigilance, in abeyance was "uncalled for" and "tantamounts to a fraud on the constitution and abuse of official power". The petition alleged that the appointment was carried out by the Chief Minister to "implement his mala fide or illegal directions for promoting his personal and political interests". The Vigilance Commissioner cannot be empowered to supersede or control any police functionary in terms of the mandatory provisions of Section 3 of the Police Act, 1861, it said, pointing out that the Vigilance Commissioner has been vested with powers to order, control and supersede the police functionaries of the state vigilance bureau. Such an act by the state government was "illegal, unprecedented, mala fide, arbitrary and discriminatory and blatantly violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution", the petition said. A Division Bench
comprising Justice R.S. Mongia and Justice S.S. Sudhalkar
which took up the matter today, adjourned its hearing to
October 7. |
Haryana's industrial policy
criticised SONEPAT, Sept 17 — Mr Ajay Chautala, MLA and president of the youth wing of the Indian National Lok Dal, yesterday criticised the HVP-BJP alliance government for adopting wrong industrial policy in the state and alleged that the industrial growth had virtually come to a standstill in Haryana. Talking to mediapersons here, he said the industrialists including NRIs had preferred other states for setting up their industrial units as they had been provided more facilities and infrastructures there than in Haryana which had been facing a severe power crisis for the past few decades. The single-window system he alleged, had collapsed as the Industries Department had failed to come to the rescue or entrepreneurs. He said the Bansi Lal Government had failed on all fronts and all development activities had come to an end owing to a shortage of funds. The economic structure of the state, he said had been shattered. Expressing his concern over the deteriorating law and order situation, Mr Chautala alleged that incidents of robbery, murder, loot, dacoity, criminal assault and kidnapping had increased considerably. The state government, he added, was twisting the crime figures and not bringing facts before the people.
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Gang of highway robbers busted KURUKSHETRA, Sept 17 — The district police claims to have nabbed a highway robber Nakli, alias Chhotu, who escaped from a judicial lockup at Panipat in May. Stating this to mediapersons here today, the district police chief, Mr Y.P. Singhal, said Nakli was arrested by the police near Umri village 5 km from here, last night along with his five accomplices. He said all had been remanded to police custody and booked under Sections 399 and 402, IPC. This gang had been active in Karnal, Sonepat, Panipat and Kurukshetra districts. Mr Singhal said one of the gang members in the guise of a woman would stop the trucks on the G.T. Road at night and lure the truck drivers to a secluded place. After beating them mercilessly, the gang members would escape with the vehicle. Mr Singhal said Nakli hailed from Uttar Pradesh. He looted a truck carrying sugar worth Rs 2 lakh near Pipli last month. In another case, Santosh Devi, posted as a peon in the office of the Superintendent of Police, Commando, Newal, Karnal has been arrested under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 IPC for allegedly possessing a 12 bore live cartridge as well as a fake identity card.
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300 cr for welfare schemes CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — Various implementing departments of the Haryana Government will spend about Rs 300 crore under the Special Component Plan for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes during the current financial year. The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Special Component Plan for the Scheduled Castes for the Annual Plan 1998-99, which was held under the chairmanship of Mr Ram S. Verma, Chief Secretary, here today. It was also decided to constitute monitoring committees at the State, district and block levels to monitor the implementation of various schemes under Special Component Plan for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes. The Financial Commissioner
and Secretary, Social Welfare, Mrs Meenaxi Anand
Chaudhary, said the Government had spent Rs 6.45 crore
received from the Union Government under the Special
Central Assistance Scheme for the Welfare of the
Scheduled Castes during the previous year. A sum of Rs.
6.51 crore had been earmarked for 1998-99. The amount
would be spent for providing subsidy for various income
generating schemes, margin money assistance for
autorickshaw (petrol), legal profession and photography
scheme, redemption of agriculture land, purchase of light
commercial vehicles, purchase of autorickshaw (diesel),
scheme for financing jeep, leather footwear manufacturing
unit, organising training to SC persons in various trades
for self-employment and upgradation of ITI, Ambala Cantt,
and Pundri. A new scheme for automobile repair and spare
part shop had been introduced to encourage
self-employment programme by the Haryana Harijan Kalyan
Nigam. Under the scheme, Rs 1 lakh would be provided as
loan. |
Bharat Ratna for Devi Lal
demanded CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — A demand has been raised for conferring Bharat Ratna upon the former Deputy Prime Minister of India, Mr Devi Lal, on the occasion of his 85th birthday. In a statement issued here today a former Haryana Minister, Mrs Santosh Chauhan Sarwan, said Mr Devi Lal had been a renowned freedom fighter who went to jail for several times during the freedom struggle. She said Mr Devi Lal during his tenure as Chief Minister of Haryana had launched several schemes for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and the downtrodden. It was he who launched schemes like old-age pension, construction of chaupals for the Dalits, maternity allowance etc which were aimed at providing social justice. Appealing to the people to
participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Mr
Devi Lal at Rewari on September 25, Mrs Sarwan criticised
the Haryana Government for not honouring Mr Devi Lal on
the 50th anniversary of India's Independence. She alleged
that by ignoring Mr Devi Lal for this honour, the Chief
Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, had shown his narrow-mindedness
and political bias.
Chautala's charge against Government CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — Mr Om Parkash Chautala, President of the Haryana Lok Dal (R), today alleged that members of the ruling parties in Haryana were "steeped in corruption". They were more interested in their personal gains rather than the development and welfare of the state, he alleged. He also alleged that massive amount had changed hands in the case involving land grabbing in Gurgaon district. He compared the law and order situation in the state to that prevailing in Bihar and described it even worse. Referring to the kidnapping episode of the grandson of Seth Siri Kishan Dass, Haryana Minister, he said the spirits of the people having criminal tendencies were high.
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Entrance test cancelled CHANDIGARH, Sept 17 — The Haryana Government has cancelled the entrance test held on September 13 for admission to Diploma in Education (JBT) and Diploma in Education (Urdu) in view of complaints received regarding leakage of question papers of these tests and the investigations conducted in this regard. While disclosing this here today, the Haryana Education Minister, Mr Ram Bilas Sharma, said a case had been registered in this regard and the matter was being looked into. Those found involved in leaking the question papers would be punished under the law. He said the decision to cancel the examination was taken to uphold the sanctity of such tests. He said now these tests
would be conducted again in the entire State on October 4
at the same time and at the same examination centres
under the same roll numbers. He said those appearing for
these tests should reach the examination centre by 10.30
a.m. so that formalities for the proper identification of
the candidates could be completed.
3 killed in truck mishap NAHAN, Sept 17 — Three persons were killed and three injured when a truck in which they were travelling fell into in a khud near Bhootmari village 60 km from here, yesterday. While Meena Ram and Bansi Ram died on the spot, Tula Ram succumbed to his injuries in Dadahu Civil Hospital. All the three deceased
belong to Ugra-Kando village. Mr Prithvi Raj Singh,
Superintendent of Police, said here today that the
injured — a girl Meena, driver Laxman and conductor
Balbir Singh — had been admitted to Civil Hospital,
Nahan, with multiple injuries and fractures. |
Demand to cancel JBT test REWARI, Sept 17 — The Haryana Pradesh Janata Dal president, Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, has urged the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, to order cancellation of the entrance test held on September 13 throughout Haryana for admission to the JBT course. He said the leakage of question papers had already made these examinations a farce. He asserted that merit was going to be the first casualty in these examinations. He criticised the
government for making candidates of one district to
appear at a test centre in another district which caused
hardships to examinees and their guardians. 10-year RI for rapist GURGAON, Sept 17 — Permanand (57) has been sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 for raping his 10-year-old niece and two years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 2000 on a separate charge of threatening to kill her. According to the prosecution, Permanand of Nagina village in Bijnor district had been living in Ashok Vihar here and was a frequent visitor to the victim's house who was staying with her uncle. Additional Sessions Judge,
Mr Randhir Singh rejecting all pleas of the defence, held
Permanand guilty of committing rape and awarded the
punishment. The judge observed that such an elderly man
who had committed a heinous crime on an innocent girl did
not deserve any leniency. |
Haryana Govt 'anti-Dalit' ROHTAK, Sept 17 — Describing the state government as anti-Dalit, the SC/ST cell of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee has alleged the government has been adopting a negligent attitude toward their problems. Mr Ram Mehar, co-convener of the cell, in a letter written to the Chairman of the SC/ST Commission as said the atrocities on Dalits are increasing rapidly in the region. He lamented that such criminal cases were not registered in time by the police. Besides, the police adopted a causal attitude, he added. He said a huge amount was reportedly lying unutilised with the commission for providing suitable compensation to the affected Dalits in Haryana.
Hooda's memo to Governor BHIWANI, Sept 17 (UNI) — Haryana Congress chief Bhupinder Singh Hooda today submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner here for transmission to Governor Mahabir Prasad, demanding dismissal of the Bansi Lal government and holding of fresh elections to the state Assembly under President’s rule. Talking to newspersons here after submitting the memorandum, Mr Hooda said the law and order situation in the state was "far more deteriorated than in Bihar" and the Union government should depute a central team to assess the situation in the state. Without naming anybody, Mr Hooda criticised those politicians who had been allegedly giving shelter to certain anti-social elements involved in a series of thefts, robberies and murders in and around the state and had been apprehended by the Delhi Police recently. Mr Hooda reiterated that
the Centre should implement the interim report of Eradi
Tribunal on the sharing of Ravi-Beas waters on the
pattern of the interim report on the sharing of Cauvery
water among southern states. |
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