MLA’s son booked
ROHTAK, Dec 28 — The police has arrested Jagbir of the Kishanpura locality here on a charge of manhandling cops on duty and taken away an impounded car from their possession. He was sent to a police remand by a local court.

Fog disrupts rail, road traffic
SONEPAT, Dec.28—Rail and road traffic remained disrupted for several hours today after a dense fog enveloped this city and its surrounding areas since midnight.

HPCC celebrates foundation day
CHANDIGARH, Dec 28 — The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee today celebrated the foundation day of the Indian National Congress with traditional enthusiasm and solemnity.

One shot dead
ROHTAK, Dec 28 — One person was killed and another injured when they were fired upon by some other persons in Ambedkar Colony here last night.

Non-payment of salaries resented
ROHTAK, Dec 28 — Resentment prevails among teaching and non-teaching employees of the government-aided private colleges due to the non-payment of salaries for the past four months.

Open darbar organised
SONEPAT, Dec 28—The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal has exhorted senior district officials to take a keen interest in redressing the grievances of people. As many as 20 complainants appeared before the Deputy Commissioner at an "open darbar" here yesterday

Cheques given to fire victims' kin
SONEPAT, Dec 28—Mr Ajay Chautala, MP, son of Mr Om Parkash Chautala, Chief Minister, distributed cheques amounting to Rs 15.25 lakh among the members of 29 families who had suffered losses in the fire tragedy on the eve of Divali in Ashok Nagar here at a function organised by the District Red Cross Society in Panchayat Bhawan here yesterday.

Veterinary council poll in Feb
CHANDIGARH, Dec 28 — The Haryana State Veterinary Council today decided to hold elections to the state Veterinary Council.

CM questions BJP leaders’ ‘popularity’
From Ravi S. Singh
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Dec 28 — The differences between the ruling Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana and its ally, the BJP, over seat sharing for the ensuing Assembly elections today deepened with the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, questioning the “authority” and “popularity” of the BJP leaders in the state.

Talking to mediapersons here today, Mr Chautala for the first time publicly took a tough line saying that he will abide by the decision of the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee. He was here under the ongoing programme “sarkar aapke dwar” in the state.

In response to a question on the BJP’s claim over the Gurgaon seat, Mr Chautala said the senior state leader of the BJP Mr Sitaram Singhla, was an efficient person but was not capable to win the seat. When pointed out that the BJP leaders were, including the party’s leader in the dissolved Haryana Vidhan Sabha, Prof Ram Bilas Sharma, claiming the Sohna seat in the district, Mr Chautala said the state BJP leaders did not have any authority on the issue. “It is not in their power to take a decision on such issues”, he added.

As if to rub the BJP leaders the wrong way, Mr Chautala said if they were laying claim to the Sohna seat, they were simply misleading the people and themselves.

He added a new dimension to the ongoing negotiations between the INLD and the BJP saying that the criteria for sharing seats would not be on numbers, but the winning power of the candidates of both parties.

In a sharp rebuff to the BJP, he said its leaders had initially started with a demand for contesting all Assembly seats in the party’s “shakti parikshan” rally in Rohtak. Then they came down to a demand for 45 seats and now finally to 35 seats. “It is to be seen how much more they will come down till the actual filing of nomination papers”, he said, and added: “You will have to apply a speedometer to judge the speed with which they were reducing their demands”.

In response to another specific question whether there were differences between the INLD and the BJP cadres, he quipped: “It is for you to judge”.

When pointed out that the BJP leaders in Haryana recently raised the issues regarding the completion of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) project at the party’s public meeting in Sohna, Mr Chautala retorted with a poser: “Why aren’t they getting it completed? It is the BJP which heads a government at the Centre. Also, it is a partner in the government in Punjab”, he said. He asserted that first they should get the SYL completed before facing the coming elections.

Although Mr Chautala did not dwell much, he replied to a specific question saying that a “government at the Centre would be without any substance without Haryana. Significantly, even if the five MPs of the INLD in the Lok Sabha were not crucial to the survival of the Vajpayee government, the party supports it.

According to observers,the utterances of Mr Chautala was pregnant with political meaning. They also felt that such sabre-rattling between the INLD and the BJP should be seen in the context of bargaining of seats between the two. It is a foregone conclusion that the two sides have the compulsion to stick with their alliance for the Assembly elections.

With regard to the Punjab and High Court’s decision on the holding of the panchayat elections in the state, he said he was yet to obtain a copy of the court’s ruling on the issue. He lamented that his government had earlier notified for elections to the panchayats and the municipal councils. But the court had stayed its operation. Now the court had changed its stance. In response to a query on the fate of the Director General of Police, Haryana, Mr S.P.S. Rathore, following the Supreme Court upholding the verdict of the Punjab and Haryana High Court against him, he said his government was still studying the judgement.

Earlier addressing a gathering on the occasion of “sarkar aapke dwar” function, he thanked the people of the area for electing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee, Mrs Sudha Yadav, from the Mahendergarh parliamentary constituency in the last Lok Sabha election.Although he was technically right in describing the candidature of Mrs Sudha Yadav as that of the NDA’s, even though she was a BJP nominee, the description, nonetheless, was not lost on the rank and file of the BJP in the context of his utterances on the issue of seat sharing.

Recounting the number of pro-people decisions his government had taken, he said all measures announced by him would be implemented.The government had decided to double the pension of all those above 60 years, non-pensioner ex-servicemen and their widows. Now they would be paid Rs 400 per month against Rs 200.

A fresh survey for old age pension was in progress. Such pensioners would be paid pension for the month of December in January. His government would remove the condition of land holding for being beneficiaries of the old age-pension scheme, he added.

Mr Chautala said the law and order situation in the state had improved. A survey for the families living below the poverty line was also in progress so as to include all such genuine people in the list to enable them to take benefit being given by the government.

According to him, although there was a shortage of availability of power in Haryana, his government was purchasing power at higher cost from other states to fulfil the needs of the people.

While listening to the grievances of the people, he ordered the construction of sewer drain from Dhanwapur village to Najafgarh drain. The drain, to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 4.5 crore, would benefit nearly 17 villages of the area.

On the demand of the public regarding the posting of teachers against vacant posts in various schools, he said the process of recruiting 13,000 teachers was in progress and the government would provide teachers soon.

He directed the district administration to remove encroachments on public lands.

HC verdict likely to help Congress
By Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 28 — The Congress unit in Haryana, which was demoralised by the splendid performance of the INLD-BJP alliance in the Lok Sabha polls, has got a short in the arm with the High Court verdict yesterday asking the Haryana Government to complete panchayat and nagar palika elections by the end of next February.

Although the state government is expected to approach the Supreme Court and try other means to delay the panchayat polls, the Congress is determined to foil its opponent's plans.

A Congress party delegation will meet Chief Election Commissioner M.S. Gill in the first week of January and urge him to suspend the Assembly polls in Haryana till after the panchayat elections.

Since the state government is unwilling to fulfil its Constitutional obligation of holding local body elections even after the expiry of their term the CEC will be able to see merit in the Congress demand, according to Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress Chief Whip in the dissolved Assembly.

In case the panchayat elections are held in Haryana as per the High Court directive, Mr Chautala will have a hard time appeasing disgruntled INLD workers which will eventually benefit the Congress, Mr Surjewala said.

According to Mr Surjewala and other Congress leaders, the number of aspirants from the INLD for panchayat and nagar palika offices have swelled following the ruling combination's sweeping victory in the Lok Sabha hustings. "Those who will fail to win in the elections or discouraged by the INLD's leadership to contest in the elections will automatically come to us," the Congress leaders said.

"Panchayat elections will create a division among Mr Chautala's supporters in the rural as well as urban areas, that is why he does not want to hold it before the Assembly polls," Mr Surjewala said.

The BJP-INLD relationship will also come under strain if the local bodies' elections are held, as it will be next to impossible for aspirants of the respective parties to arrive at any understanding, Congress leaders point out.

The Congress it is understood, will do its best to force the Chautala-led government to hold panchayat elections before the Assembly polls as a division among Mr Chautala's supporters will help the Congress. Also the issues raised by the Congress so far, such as the law and order problems and farmers' woes are not likely to cut much ice with voters in the face of Mr Chautala's populist announcement.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the HPCC chief Bhupinder Singh Hooda also welcomed the High Court verdict and urged the Election Commission to fix the date of Assembly polls in the light of the court directive. Mr Hooda added that the state government had no moral right to continue now and urged the Governor to recommend imposition of President's rule in Haryana.

Delays hold up mini sectt
From Sushil Manav

FATEHABAD: Due to paucity of funds, work on the Mini Secretariat, one of the most prestigious projects of this district, is progressing almost at a snail's pace. The project which was supposed to have been completed by October, 1999, as per the initial terms of the contract, is being taken up at such a tardy pace that it does not appear that the work would be complete by next October.

The foundation stone of the Mini Secretariat was laid by the former Chief Minister Mr Bansi Lal, on September 7, 1977, after the town was granted the status of a district headquarters two months earlier.

As the government was expecting by-elections to the Fatehabad assembly segment at that time, it adopted quite a liberal attitude in providing funds for the project.

The project was to be completed by October, 1999 at an estimated cost Rs 4.79 crore. While laying the foundation stone of the building, the then Chief Minister had announced that it would be completed within two years. But soon it became evident that it was going to take much longer. As the foundation stone was laid in a hurry keeping an eye on the poll no work could start within the first four months of stone laying. The contract of the project was given to a Hisar-based construction company and work finally started in April 1999. But as the then government had lost the Fatehabad assembly by- election by them, it adopted a tight-fisted attitude towards the allocation of funds for the project.

As of now, the roof of the ground floor of this four-storey building has been completed while that of the first floor is in progress. Brick work of the ground floor is also in progress, though in slow motion. Out of a total of estimated cost of Rs 4.79 crore only Rs 1.90 crore has been spent. While the administration claims that the project would be completed by August 31 next year, seeing the current progress of the work it seems impossible.

According to reliable sources, lack of funds is the main reason behind the delay in the completion of this project. According to sources, if the department gets the funds one month, no funds come during the next two or three months. This hampers progress as neither the department is able to provide steel and cement to the contractors, nor does the contractor feel enthused to employ additional labour for speedy completion of the work. With delays, there is an overrun in construction cost.

Senior PWD officers feel that the project would cost about Rs 5.50 crore instead of the estimated Rs 4.79 crore.

With much of the construction work still pending, work on the internal roads, landscaping and estate service to be taken up later, the project is likely to take much more time than expected if the government fails to provide funds in time.

Similar is the fate of five residential bungalows for senior officers being built near the Mini Secretariat. These bungalows are meant for an ADC, S.P., the District and Sessions Judge, the Additional District & Sessions Judge and revenue officers. Out of the estimated cost Rs 85 lakh, only Rs 6 lakh has been spent at present. With the local M.L.A., Mr Sampat Singh, becoming the state Finance Minister, residents hope that scarcity of funds would not come in way.

Feud over Principal’s extension
From Jatinder Sharma

ROHTAK, Dec 28 — The Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) appear to have locked horns on the issue of the emergency powers being exercised by the former under Section 9-A (5) of the university Act.

While the Vice-Chancellor, Lt-Gen O.P. Kaushik (Retd) has, by exercising his powers under Section 9-A (5), granted extension to the Principal of the University College, the Registrar, Mr Ashok Khemka, has described the Vice-Chancellor’s order as "without jurisdiction and against the provisions of the university Act and statutes besides being indirect non-compliance of the Chancellor’s orders of December 17/20, 1999".

Urging the Vice-Chancellor to reconsider his decision, the Registrar said that a perusal of Section 9-A (5), would reveal that this power cannot be exercised in matters concerning appointments, which include temporary or contractual appointment as well.

Dr Ram Narain, the Principal of the University College had retired on October 31 last, but he was granted one-year extension by the Executive Council of the university at its 141st meeting held at Chandigarh on July 9. The proceedings of this meeting, however, were annulled by the Haryana Governor and Chancellor of the university on December 17/20, 1999.

Following the annulment of the proceedings of the meeting, the Registrar, relieved Mr Ram Narain from his post from December 20. Since Dr Narain continued to attend the Principal’s office after that, Mr Khemka yesterday directed the Chief Security Officer of the university to evict Dr Narain from the Principal’s office as he was "discharging the duties of the post unauthorisedly and illegally".

Taking serious exception to the orders issued by the Registrar, the Vice-Chancellor asked Mr Khemka to "explain" as to how he has issued instructions on his own whereas the follow-up action on the orders of the Chancellor was under his consideration.

Defending his directions to the Chief Security Officer, Mr Khemka said that orders dated December 17/20, 1999, of the Chancellor were statutory under Section 9 (II) of the university Act. Any "consideration" of the Chancellor’s order by the Vice-Chancellor was out of question, the Registrar said.

Mr Khemka said that he has to issue orders to Mr Narain as the Deputy Registrar (Admn) had failed to perform his duty at "your asking and continuous non-compliance of Chancellor’s order, besides being serious, was compounding financial liability of the university".

The ‘illegal’ continuation of Dr Narain as Principal, Mr Khemka alleged, was a criminal act on his part and thus liable for appropriate criminal proceedings against him. The Chief Security Officer was being accordingly directed to strictly abide with the orders issued to him in the matter, Mr Khemka told the Vice-Chancellor.

"In case Mr Ram Narain is still not evicted, I shall be constrained to launch criminal proceedings against him, besides filing an FIR against him, as I cannot allow myself to become a party to the defiance of the authority of the Chancellor", the Registrar said.

MLA’s son booked
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Dec 28 — The police has arrested Jagbir of the Kishanpura locality here on a charge of manhandling cops on duty and taken away an impounded car from their possession. He was sent to a police remand by a local court.

Jitender, a son of Mr Shri Kishan Hooda, MLA, Kiloi Constituency, was travelling in a Contessa car along with his friends in the town yesterday. Their vehicle hit a Maruti car parked near Ashoka Cinema. Two persons were injured in the incident. The police reportedly impounded the vehicle and booked the driver.

Later, Jitender along with four persons, allegedly take away the impounded car.

The police has registered a case under Sections 279, 336, 337 and 427, IPC, against Sanjay, driver of the car. A case has also been registered under Sections 148, 149, 332, 353, 186 and 382, IPC, against Jitender, Jagbir and three others.

Fog disrupts rail, road traffic
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Dec.28—Rail and road traffic remained disrupted for several hours today after a dense fog enveloped this city and its surrounding areas since midnight.

All long-distance and suburban trains, running on the DUK section of Northern Railway and passing through Sonepat Railway Station, were behind schedule, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

According to official sources, poor visibility on account of thick fog was the main cause of the late running of the trains.

The movement of traffic on National Highway No.1 and other state highways was slow. Many vehicles collided with each other and some others reportedly dashed against the road dividers.

Meanwhile, this city and its adjoining areas are in the grip of severe cold wave and last night was reportedly the coldest one in this season. The cold wave has paralysed normal life and affected business activity. Attendance in most government offices was reported to be thin.

According to a report, a number of milch animals and several head of cattle are reported to have perished due to exposure in the current cold wave sweeping these region.

The cold wave has also affected the gram, mustard seed and vegetable crops in many villages, it is stated.

HPCC celebrates foundation day
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 28 — The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee today celebrated the foundation day of the Indian National Congress with traditional enthusiasm and solemnity.

A press note issued by the party said workers’ meetings were organised at the headquarters of district and block Congress committees. The Congress was founded in 1885 and it launched freedom movement. Sacrifices made by innumerable countrymen were remembered at these meetings.

The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee also launched "sankalp yatra" from all district and block headquarters simultaneously. The yatra would cover all villages of the state and culminate on the January 30, the martyrdom day of Mahatma Gandhi.

Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, President, of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, launched the yatra from Bakheta village of the Kiloi assembly constituency and undertook a mass contact programme in the areas. Similar mass contact programmes would be undertaken by Congress office-bearers including MPs and MLAs, former legislators in their respective areas between December 28, and January 30, 2000. The failures of the BJP-led Central Government and the INLD government, would be highlighted in the programme.

One shot dead
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Dec 28 (UNI) — One person was killed and another injured when they were fired upon by some other persons in Ambedkar Colony here last night.

According to police sources, the deceased has been identified as Ravinder, alias Ravi, while the injured has been identified as Lala. Both are residents of the colony. It is reported that the victim Ravinder had developed a quarrel with the accused over the disturbance created on a cable TV connection. The suspects have been identified as Vinod, Lala, Saroj and Pappu. It is alleged that Vinod opened fire with a gun on the victim during the quarrel. A case under Sections 302 and 34, IPC, and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered in this connection.

Non-payment of salaries resented
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Dec 28 — Resentment prevails among teaching and non-teaching employees of the government-aided private colleges due to the non-payment of salaries for the past four months.

These employees have not been paid salaries since September as the state government failed to release grants-in-aid to these institutions. There are about 110 private colleges in Haryana who get 95 per cent of their salary bill as grant-in-aid from the government.

The president, Haryana Government-aided Private Colleges Association, Mr Ram Kishan Gupta, said following the implementation of the revised pay-scales, the managing committees of these colleges were unable to mobilise adequate resources to pay salaries to its teaching and non-teaching employees.

Mr Gupta regretted that the government had imposed a ban on new recruitments in the colleges though over 500 sanctioned posts of teachers were lying vacant. This had adversely affected the teaching process in these colleges, he said.

The teaching staff of these colleges will meet on January 5 at Panipat to analyse the situation and take appropriate decision as the fund-starved government has failed to release grants despite repeated requests.

Mr Gupta said the management of the private colleges had extended their full support to the teaching staff. He said he was also considering the situation and in case the government failed to release the grant-in-aid, till January 31, he would be forced to convene a meeting of the managements of these colleges and launch an agitation.

Open darbar organised
For Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Dec 28—The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal has exhorted senior district officials to take a keen interest in redressing the grievances of people. As many as 20 complainants appeared before the Deputy Commissioner at an "open darbar" here yesterday

Ms Bindo Devi sarpanch of Tihar Kalan village, demanded steps for the removal of encroachment on plot No 195 by some residents.

Mr Maha Singh a resident Mundlana village, alleged that some people had grabbed panchayat land.

The Deputy Commissioner directed the authorities concerned to take note of these complaints and take action.

Members of the Mahipur gram panchayat complained about low voltage and alleged the authorities concerned were indifferent to their complaints in this regard.

Mr Maha Singh, a resident of Shastri Colony here, demanded immediate removal of electricity transformer installed near his house in violation of the norms. The Deputy Commissioner directed the superintending Engineer (operation) HVPN, to take necessary action in this matter.

He also directed officials of the irrigation Department to ensure the supply of canal water in the Bayyanpur minor so that farmers could irrigate their land during the rotation period.

Cheques given to fire victims' kin
For Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Dec 28—Mr Ajay Chautala, MP, son of Mr Om Parkash Chautala, Chief Minister, distributed cheques amounting to Rs 15.25 lakh among the members of 29 families who had suffered losses in the fire tragedy on the eve of Divali in Ashok Nagar here at a function organised by the District Red Cross Society in Panchayat Bhawan here yesterday. A two-minute silence was observed in memory of the fire victims, former President Shankar Dayal Sharma and Mr Rupin Katyal, who was stabbed to death at Amritsar by the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane. Paying tributes to the fire victims, Mr Chautala expressed sympathies with the members of the bereaved families and assured all-out assistance to them. The state government had already given Rs 1 lakh as grant-in-aid to next of kin of each fire victim and provided medical assistance to injured.

Mr Sudhir Rajpal Deputy Commissioner, said the district administration had collected Rs 14.56 lakh so far for providing financial assistance to the families of the fire victims.

Veterinary council poll in Feb
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 28 — The Haryana State Veterinary Council today decided to hold elections to the state Veterinary Council.

The Returning Officer of Haryana State Veterinary Council, Dr K.S. Dangi, said the nominations would be received on January 17 up to 5 p.m. and their scrutiny would take place on January 20.

Similarly, the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers would be January 24 and the valid nominations would be declared the next year. Ballot papers would be despatched on January 28 and the last date for receipt of marked ballot papers would be February 28. Counting of votes would take place on February 29 and the result would be declared after the counting.

Haryana promotions
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 28 — The Haryana Government today promoted Dr S.K. Gupta, Civil Surgeon, Ambala; Dr L.C. Mittal, Civil Surgeon, Rewari; Dr Ramesh Kumar, Civil Surgeon, Karnal; and Dr K.K. Mehta, Principal Medical Officer, Ambala, as Directors in the Department of Health Services against vacant posts with immediate effect.

Rural development fund board members
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 28 — The Haryana Government today appointed Mr Gurnam Singh Saini of Gajlana village in Yamunanagar district, Mr Puran Singh Dabra of Dabra village in Hisar district, Mr Guljar Singh Mann of Gogaripur village in Karnal district, Mr Hardayal Singh of Rori, Sirsa district, Rao Hoshiar Singh of Narnaul and Mr Chander Bhan of Doera village in Kaithal district as non-official members of Haryana Rural Development Fund Board.

UP plans recruitment commission
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, Dec 28 — A recruitment commission will be constituted in UP for recruitment of employees in different universities of the state, State Governor Suraj Bhan said here.

He said he had got complaints that a large number of employees were recruited without requirement in certain universities. Now, the universities would have to explain the justification for recruiting any employee. A meeting of the Vice-Chancellors had been convened in Lucknow for January 7 to discuss this matter.

He said one of his sons had been planning to contest the forthcoming Assembly election from Mulana.

Govt committed to round-the-clock power: CM
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, Dec 28 - Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister, today assured the people that his government was committed to supply round-the-clock electricity.

Speaking at "doorstep programme" at Ballabhgarh, he said the power situation had considerably improved with the help of the Himachal, Punjab and Delhi governments. Overhead high tension cables passing above the houses would soon be removed to prevent possibility of accidents, he said.

Mr Chautala said efforts were also being made to supply 70 litres of water per day to each individual.

There was a commotion at Panchayat Bhavan when Mrs Naresh Kumari of Sonepat was not allowed by officials to present a memorandum to the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to solve the grievances of 68 panchayats falling under the Ballabhgarh Assembly segment.