• SYL water our right: Chautala
• B.D. Gupta for front on SYL

HUDA launches demolition drive
HISAR, April 4 — The Haryana Urban Development Authority has launched a demolition drive here to check and control the mushrooming growth of unauthorised colonies.

'Govt move will tarnish MDU image'
ROHTAK, April 4 — Reacting sharply to the Haryana Government's move of divesting Maharshi Dayanand University of the authority to conduct the entrance test for admission to PMT, MD/MS, MBA, MCA and B Pharma courses, Lt-Gen OP Kaushik (retd), Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the move was unjustified and it would tarnish the image of the university in the country.

Fall of govt "imminent"
FATEHABAD, April 4 — The All-India Congress Committee secretary and a former union minister, Ms Selja, has said that the fall of the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government is imminent and said that her party is ready for any eventuality.

• 3 boys held on murder charge
• Free eye camp from April 16

Bansi flays Opposition for misguiding people
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, April 4 — Mr Bansi Lal, Chief Minister, criticised Opposition leaders for misguiding the people by saying that they would provide free power and water if they were voted to power. He said had it been possible he could have been the first person to implement it.

He was addressing a largely attended meeting at village Gumthala Rao village, 30 km from here, today.

Mr Bansi Lal said creating infrastructure to provide public utility services costs a lot to the state exchequer, so no government could afford any free service and if one does so it hampers the pace of development, as Punjab had already suffered such a setback. The World Bank had declined to finance their developmental projects, whereas the same agency had sanctioned Rs 2,400 crore for power sector reforms in Haryana.

Secondly, circumstances in Punjab were different as they had sufficient canal water for irrigation, whereas Haryana was totally dependent on tubewells for irrigation. Punjab was spending Rs 150 crore to run the tubewells, whereas Haryana spent Rs 850 crore to provide subsidised power to the farm sector, he added.

Refuting the Opposition's allegation of not fulfilling promises made before elections, Mr Bansi Lal enlisted the works done by his government during the past 33 months. The promise of providing round-the-clock power in the state would be met by June 30. The 432 MW power generation plant costing Rs 1,200 crore coming up in Faridabad was nearing completion. He said the sixth unit of 210 MW capacity of Panipat Thermal Plant would also be ready in 11 months.

The Chief Minister said the 500 MW power plant at Yamunanagar was on the anvil. Tenders were being finalised. With the finalisation of this process, tenders for 500 MW thermal plant at Hisar would also be invited. The Yamunanagar thermal plant costing Rs 2,250 crore was expected to be completed within three years. Haryana would be power surplus within a year-and-a-half, he said.

Mr Bansi Lal said the maintenance and construction of roads was next on the agenda of his government.

He added that with the desilting of canals, irrigation facility for 6 lakh additional acres could be possible. A sum of Rs 20 crore had been spent in Yamunanagar district under the Yamuna Action Plan during the past three years, besides electricity and other developmental works.

Mr Bansi Lal stated that Rs 219 crore Hathni Kund Barrage would also be ready by June 30.

On demands raised by Mr Ratan Lal Kataria and Mr Ved Pal, Chairman Haryana Warehousing Corporation and Haryana Agricultural Marketing Board, respectively, he assured sympathetic consideration.

Earlier the Chief Minister was honoured with a shawl, a turban and a purse of Rs 201 lakh. He returned the money to the local HVP unit.

Later the Chief Minister visited the Hathni Kund Barrage to assess the progress of the project.

Solve SYL canal issue, PM urged
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, April 4 —Mr Birender Singh, former Haryana Pardesh Congress President, has appealed to all political parties and the people of Haryana to pressurise the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee to resolve the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal (SYL) issue immediately.

While talking to mediapersons here at Radaur, 15 km from here, Mr Birender said today that all political parties should behave in a responsible way to sought out the issue as Haryana was being deprived of its share of water. He urged the people of the state to make it mass movement but cautioned them to adopt a non-violent approach.

He further said when the Prime Minister had succeeded in resolving the Cauveri issue which had been hanging fire for the past many decades, then he should also solve the SYL issue. Almost 90 per cent work on the canal in Punjab and 100 per cent in Haryana had been completed but the problem still persisted.

He speculated the fall of the Bansi Lal government but was of the opinion that there was no need for mid-term polls. He stated that the Congress was ready to support any breakaway group of Mr Bansi Lal. But added that the support would be issue-based. He overruled any possibility that the Congress would extend support to a political party having a communal background.

When questioned about his relationship with Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Pradesh Congress President, he stated that he had very cordial relation with them.

Mr Birender stated that tomorrow the meeting of senior members of the Congress in Haryana would be convened at Ujja village in Panipat district at the residence of Mr Hari Singh Nalwa, former member of Parliament.

He added that more than 50 members of PCC(I) would attend the meeting in which the main agenda would be regarding the enrolment drive. He said as per the high command direction the membership campaign would be finished by May 15.

B.D. Gupta for front on SYL
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, April 4 — Mr B.D. Gupta, former Chief Minister, Haryana and member of Rajya Sabha gave a call for all the presidents of Haryana political parties and Chief Minister Bansi Lal to join hands in launching an agitation for the rights of the state.

Mr Gupta was speaking at a press conference held at his residence on Hansi Road here, yesterday. He said the statements of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, Punjab, that not a drop of Ravi-Beas waters would be given to Haryana was an injustice on people of the state and added that the Punjab Government was illegally claiming right over Ravi-Beas waters.

The rivers actually belonged to the Centre which had purchased riparian rights by paying Rs 100 crore to Pakistan in 1955.

Mr Gupta said as per the decision of 1982 when Mrs Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister digging of Satluj-Yamuna link canal was begun near village Kapuri in Punjab. In the 1987 agreement between Rajiv Gandhi and Sant Longowal the Eradi Commission was set up which gave 3.5 million acre feet of water to Haryana.

SYL water our right: Chautala
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, April 4 — "Water of the SYL. canal is our right and not a charity" said INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala here today.

Mr Chautala was addressing a press conference at his residence here he criticised Mr Bansi Lal for his inaction in this matter. Taking a dig at Bhupinder Singh Hooda he said the Congress had been never serious in solving this dispute. It is evident from the fact that the SYL project, which was handed over to the Border Road Organisation during his tenure as Chief Minister was withdrawn by the successive Congress government. In fact, this is not a issue of riparian states, but entire water was meant for erstwhile South Punjab, now Haryana.

Inculcating nationalism through training
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, April 4 — Since the BJP-led coalition government at the Centre has assumed power, the remote village of Jhinjauli in the district has not only come into limelight but also become a centre for providing training to the youths for character building.

This village is situated along the Haryana-Delhi border, 8 km away from Bawana (Delhi). An institute named Surya Foundation had been set up at the village by Mr Jai Parkash, an industrialist. The main aim for the setting up of this institute is to inculcate among youths the spirit of nationalism and the ideals of Swami Vivekananda who had a desire to see the Indian youth as ideal citizens.

This institute is being used as a workshop and it has got four different complexes which have become the headquarters of the "think tank". It has the facilities of a library, computer centre, steam-bath, jet-bath, horse riding and other sports. It also has big play grounds for physical training.

Youths from different parts of the country are invited to attend the workshop where prominent politicians as well as intellectuals express their views. During the summer vacations last year, about 1,100 youths from different parts of the country had come for free training. The organisers of such workshops hoped that the number of students would increase during the coming summer vacations.

Adequate arrangements are being made for the lodging and boarding of the students who attend such camps. These students are acquainted with different kinds of meditations and the importance of Indian culture. The students attending these camps are divided into different categories — engineering, college and senior secondary groups.

One of the block has been named Chanakya and another Keshvam Bhavan. These blocks are used for boarding and as auditoriums.

The training camps arranged by the ruling BJP for its members of Parliament, last year here also highlighted the importance of the village when the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, and other high dignitaries of the BJP visited.

Medical facilities on the pattern of Arvind Ashram and natural treatment are also provided at the institute.

The education system has been based on the pattern of the Army Training Centre, Kharakwala and the daily activities of the trainees are based on the spiritual values propounded by Swami Vivekanand.

At present, youths from 15 states are being imparted training free of cost at this institute. Youths from tribal areas of the country are also being invited for training.

HUDA launches demolition drive
Tribune News Service

HISAR, April 4 — The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has launched a demolition drive here to check and control the mushrooming growth of unauthorised colonies. Stating this the Administrator, HUDA, Mr Abhilaksh Likhi, said in the first phase of the demolition programme unauthorised roads in two illegal colonies, Ishwar Cooperative House Board Society and Mahabir colony were demolished.

Mr Likhi said the demolition drive had been launched following the directive of the Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, at the last meeting of the grievance redressal committee. The HUDA Administrator revealed that there were about 410 unauthorised colonies here.

Quoting figures from a recent survey, he said 29 such colonies had come up recently. Giving details, he added that, of these show cause notices had been served on nine colonies. However, 30 days and 24 hours notices before the demolitions were yet to be served. He stated that in 13 colonies pucca roads and concrete structures had been constructed which were to be demolished.

The administrator said in seven colonies all legal formalities had been completed. These colonies included Ishwar Cooperative House Building Society, Hisar Cantonment, Shiv Shakti Cooperative Housing Board Society, Surya Cooperative Society and Anand Kumar Jeneder Kumar colony behind Cremation ground, Sector 14, Hisar.

Mr Likhi said a drive had also been initiated to demolish unauthorised structures covering green belts opposite individual houses in residential sectors. He added that notices had already been issued to individual allottees to remove these structures, failing which a demolition drive would be launched.

Telephones on demand by March, 2000
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, April 4 — Telephones will be made available to the applicants on demand by March, next year, according to Mr R.N.Prabhaker, General Manager, Telecom, Faridabad.

Speaking at the meet-the-Press programme organised by the Faridabad Press Club here today, Mr Prabhaker said while OYT connections would be released immediately, the aspirants of the general category would have to wait for only one week.

More than 10,200 new connections had already been given by March, this year. The waiting list of telephones had also finished as on March, 1998. By the end of July, this year, all those who had applied for telephones till December, 1998, would be given connections.

Four new rural exchanges were being installed, increasing their number to 23. An internet exchange and a trunk-automatic exchange would start functioning soon making it easier for the subscribers to get internet and STD connections. Call waiting, morning alarm and call identification services had been introduced at all Faridabad exchanges.

Computerisation of 198 and 197, the complaint and inquiry numbers was also on the anvil.

The integrated services digital network (ISDN) for fast data transfer and video conferencing had been made available here.

Mr Prabhaker stated that he had taken a number of steps to streamline the working of the department to reduce the delay in repairing faults in telephone lines, more post offices would soon be authorised to receive payment of telephone bills. This would go a long way in checking overcrowding in the Sector 16 office of the department. The dates for payment of bills would also be staggered.

'Govt move will tarnish MDU image'
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, April 4 — Reacting sharply to the Haryana Government's move of divesting Maharshi Dayanand University of the authority to conduct the entrance test for admission to PMT, MD/MS, MBA, MCA and B Pharma courses, Lt-Gen OP Kaushik (retd), Vice-Chancellor of the university, said the move was unjustified and it would tarnish the image of the university in the country.

He was speaking at meet-the-Press programme organised by the district unit of the Haryana Union of Journalists, affiliated to the National Union of Journalists, at Canal Rest House here yesterday.

Lt. Gen Kaushik said no complaint was registered and no court case filed against the university administration when the entrance test for admission to MD/MS courses was conducted by the university in his tenure. On the other hand, he said 130 cases were filed in the court against the "irregularities" in these tests before he took over as the Vice-Chancellor.

The Vice-Chancellor refuted the charge of violation of reservation policy in recruitments. He challenged the complaints that he would resign from his post if they proved any violation in this connection.

He said the university had appointed 15 teachers during his two year tenure and the recommendations of the University Grants Commission had been strictly adhered to in these appointments. He said the benefit of reservation could be obtained only at the time of appointment and not at the time of promotion to the post of reader and professor as per the UGC recommendations.

Commenting on the financial crunch being faced by the university, he said he had been seriously considering to increase the number of paid seats in various departments of the university. Besides, seeking financial assistance from prominent industrialists of the state was also under consideration.

Fall of govt "imminent"
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, April 4 — The All-India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary and a former union minister, Ms Selja, has said that the fall of the Atal Behari Vajpayee Government is imminent and said that her party is ready for any eventuality.

Talking to reporters here today, the former union minister said the recent developments at the Centre had made it clear that the Vajpayee Government would not last long and would fall during the coming session of Parliament.

Asked whether the Congress was helping AIADMK leader J.Jayalalitha exert pressure on the BJP government, Ms Selja said the issues raised by Ms Jayalalitha were her own and there was nothing wrong with her demands. She said even the Congress had been demanding a JPC probe into the Bhagwat issue.

3 boys held on murder charge
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, April 4 — The police has arrested three boys, hailing from Bihar, on murder charge. They are Shashi, Lokesh and Sunil, residents of Sanjay Colony in Faridabad.

A police spokesman said here yesterday that the three boys shot Rajpal, a chowkidar on March 12 when they entered a factory later they threw the body into a nearby nullah.

The spokesman said the offenders had recently escaped from the Government Borstal Home at Sonepat where they were sent for reformation after committing a murder.

Free eye camp from April 16
Tribune News Service

HISAR, April 4 — The Baba Sant Nirankari Mandal will organise a free eye camp from April 16 to 20.

According to Mr Suresh Kathuria, the in charge of the mandal, medical experts from Medical College, Rohtak, would check up patients. He said operations would be performed for the first three day.

The camp will be held at the local Nirankari Bhavan.