More HVP leaders join Cong
ROHTAK, Aug 22 — The Congress candidate from the Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, got a shot in the arm with the joining of several leaders and workers of the Haryana Vikas Party today.

2 killed as truck rams into car
YAMUNANAGAR, Aug 22 — Two employees of the Yamunanagar Municipal Council were killed and three others injured, one of them seriously, when their car collided with a truck near Saha on the Jagadhari-Ambala road, 45 km from here today, the police said.

10-year jail for father, son
SIRSA, Aug 22 — Mrs Nirmal Yadav, District and Sessions Judge, Sirsa awarded 10 years' imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on Buta Singh and his father Lila Singh on village Singhpura village under NDPS Act here on Friday.

Chautala to tour Sonepat constituency
SONEPAT, Aug 22 — The Haryana Chief Minister and chief of Indian National Lok Dal, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, will tour the Sonepat Lok Sabha constituency from August 24 to August 30 in favour of the BJP nominee, Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan.

Registrar’s leave raises eyebrows
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 22 — The "sudden calling" of the Registrar of Maharshi Dayanand University, Mr Ashok Khemka, to Chandigarh is being considered as crucial in view of the ongoing administrative tussle between the Registrar and the Vice-Chancellor for the last nearly six months.

According to sources, Mr Khemka sought station leave from the Vice-Chancellor, Lt Gen (retd) O. P. Kaushik, for four-five days to go to Chandigarh. He reportedly wrote in the application that the Commissioner and Secretary, Education, Mr Prem Prashant had telephonically summoned him to Chandigarh to discuss the alleged irregularities committed in various matters of the university.

According to university sources, the Vice-Chancellor while granting the leave today has directed the controller of examinations. Mr Bhardwaj, to work as Officiating Registrar till the return of the Registrar. The Registrar will reportedly leave for Chandigarh tomorrow morning.

While members in the camp of Registrar described it as a part of routine affairs, members of the Vice-Chancellor group termed it as a victory of Gen. Kaushik in the "war of administrative supremacy". They described it as an outcome of the discussions of the Vice-Chancellor with the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala at Haryana Bhavan, Delhi on Wednesday last and with the Chancellor-cum-Governor at Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh on Friday last.

The Vice-Chancellor had charged the Registrar of leaking official documents and functioning against the interests of the university at these meetings with the Chief Minister and the Chancellor.

HVPN steps to regulate power supply
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 22 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) has taken a series of measures to regulate the power supply system in its Sonepat operation circles in view of the rising demand in domestic, industrial and agricultural sectors because of scanty rain in the region.

Mr S.K. Handa, Superintending Engineer (Operation) HVPN told mediapersons here today that the nigam had allocated power quota of 21 lakh units a day and not 27 lakh units a day for consumption in all sectors compared to the demand of 28 lakh units a day, in view of the continuous rising demand particularly in the padding growing areas. To meet the shortage of power and meagre allocated power quota, the nigam had no alternative but to enforce load sheddings both in the urban and rural areas, he added.

According to Mr Handa, all areas in Sonepat city had been subjected to load sheddings for two hours a day in rotation. This, he said, had been done on an experimental basis. The two-hour load-sheddings had, however, failed to meet the rising demand of power of the consumers, he said.

Referring to the gherao of the power substation at Kharkhauda, Mr Handa clarified that over 10 persons from Silana village had come to the office of the SDE to air their grievances about replacing the existing transformer of low capacity. However, one of the resident became furious and had acrimonious exchanges with the SDE who, in turn, called the police. But on the intervention of other residents, the matter was resolved on the spot. The residents, he said, expressed their regrets at the incident and the SDE did not lodge any complaint with the police.

Village sans water for one month
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 22 — Mohana, one of the largest villages in the district, is in the grip of drinking water crisis for the past one month, following the burning of an electric motor of a tubewell of the waterworks.

After touring the village, the General Secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party, Mr Rajiv Jain, told mediapersons here today that all ponds in the village had dried up and the villagers were facing hardships to get water cattle as well. The situation was likely to worsen if the authorities of the Public Health Department failed to get the electric motor repaired at the tubewell.

He said the outgoing Bansi Lal government had sanctioned a Rs 5.71-lakh drinking water scheme for the village to overcome the drinking water crisis. The scheme included the construction of a new channel from Machhri minor to Mohana village but so far the department concerned had failed to start the work on this scheme.

Mr Jain said the villagers had been fetching water from Machhri village, three km away from here.

He warned if the authorities failed to make remedy the situation soon, the HVP workers would be forced to block traffic on the road passing near the village.

Husband held in dowry case
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, Aug 22 — Balwant Singh of Panwari village in Fatehabad district of Haryana was arrested by the Odhan police yesterday on the charges of beating up harassing, victimising and forcing his wife to abort. Mr S.S. Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of Police Sirsa disclosed here today in a complaint to the police Mr Balwant Singh of Panniwala Mota village alleged that his two daughters Smt Krishana and Ms Kaushalya were married to Banwari Lal and his brother Balwant Singh of Panwari village in Fatehabad district.

He alleged that the accused were not happy with the dowry and were demanding a motorcycle and his daughter Mrs Kaushlya was beaten several times by her husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law and panchayats were also held to settle the issue but nothing fruitful came out. The police registered a case under Section 498-A/506 of the IPC and arrested husband of Mrs Kaushlya yesterday.

More HVP leaders join Cong
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Aug 22 — The Congress candidate from the Rohtak Lok Sabha constituency, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, got a shot in the arm with the joining of several leaders and workers of the Haryana Vikas Party today.

Those who announced their decision to join the Congress included HVP Hassangarh Assembly segment chief, Mr Sriniwas, Vice-Chairman of the block samiti at Sampla, Capt Balbir Singh and Zila Parishad member Joginder Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Virender Singh, President, District Congress Committee (Urban), said the party had been strengthened with these leaders joining the Congress.

2 killed as truck rams into car

YAMUNANAGAR, Aug 22 (PTI) — Two employees of the Yamunanagar Municipal Council were killed and three others injured, one of them seriously, when their car collided with a truck near Saha on the Jagadhari-Ambala road, 45 km from here today, the police said.

The mishap occurred when the employees were going to Chandigarh. A truck from the opposite direction rammed into the car, killing the two on the spot.

Three injured persons were admitted to the PGI in Chandigarh.

A case has been registered.

10-year jail for father, son
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, Aug 22 — Mrs Nirmal Yadav, District and Sessions Judge, Sirsa awarded 10 years' imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh each on Buta Singh and his father Lila Singh on village Singhpura village under NDPS Act here on Friday.

According to the prosecution case a police party headed by Gurmeet Singh, Assistant Sub Inspector, Sirsa police, conducted a raid in the fields of near Singpura village on July 6, 1995, and recovered 180 kg of poppyhusk from Lila Singh and his son Buta Singh. The poppyhusk was packed in four bags and was stored by the accused for smuggling. Lila Singh was arrested on the spot and his son Buta Singh absconded. He surrendered in the court on June 28, 1996.

In case of non-payment of the fine the culprits will have to undergo further imprisonment of two years.

Chautala to tour Sonepat constituency
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 22 — The Haryana Chief Minister and chief of Indian National Lok Dal, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, will tour the Sonepat Lok Sabha constituency from August 24 to August 30 in favour of the BJP nominee, Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan.

According to the BJP sources, Mr Chautala will address election meetings on August 24 at Bahalgarh, on August 25 at Bahadurgarh, on August 26 at Kharkhauda and Ganaur, on August 27 at Gohana, on August 29 at Safidon and on August 30 at Julana.

Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, Himachal Chief Minister, and other BJP leaders will also tour the constituency and their tour programmes are being finalised by the party.

Meanwhile, some prominent leaders and activists of the Congress, affiliated to the groups led by the former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Birender Singh, MLA, have left for Karnal and Hisar, respectively, for campaigning in favour of Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Birender Singh, respectively, who are contesting the Lok Sabha elections on Congress ticket, leaving alone the veteran Congress leader and former MP, Mr Chiranji Lal Sharma who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections on the Congress ticket from the Sonepat Lok Sabha seat.

These leaders and party activists complain that Mr Sharma had never approached them for the campaigning and they had no alternative but to canvass in favour of the party nominees in other constituencies.