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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Sunday, January 3, 1999 |
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Haryana may face wheat
shortage Parties
prepare for poll |
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Govt
anti-people, says Surjewala Refund
deposit with interest, HUDA told Preparations
on for HVP rally |
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Haryana may face wheat shortage YAMUNANAGAR, Jan 2 — The Haryana Government may face shortage in the procurement of wheat due to less sowing of the crop. Farmers sow their wheat crop in December after harvesting sugarcane. Mr Satpal Kaushik, district president, Krishak Samaj, in a press release here today alleged that farmers were facing a crisis this year as Yamunanagar Saraswati Sugar Mill started crushing sugarcane very late. Moreover, he alleged, that it was purchasing sugarcane from UP, instead of the local farmers. There are 13 sugar mills in Haryana. Three out of these are being run by private companies. Due to unprecedented rain in October more than 20 per cent sugarcane and paddy crops were lost resulting in heavy losses to the farmers. Mr Kaushik suggested that the sugar mill should give priority to the local farmers instead of purchasing from the neighbouring states. He informed that a number of farmers had still not harvested the sugar crop. He said he had already given a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the local administration but no action had been taken as yet. He pleaded to the Chief Minister to intervene and come to the rescue of the farmers. He threatened that the farmers might change their cropping pattern from the next season, if their sugarcane was not lifted immediately. Mr V.K. Sachdeva, president of Saraswati Sugar Mill, when contacted said the factory was purchasing sugarcane to meet its requirement from the farmers of the assigned area of the factory. Bonds had been entered into with the sugarcane growers of the assigned area as per the directions of the Sugar Cane Control Board, Haryana. He stated that this system of procuring sugarcane did not leave any room for purchasing the sugarcane from a cane grower who had not entered into an agreement with the factory. He said the charge that
the mill was buying sugarcane from outside the assigned
area was false and baseless. |
Parties prepare for poll ROHTAK, Jan 2 — The political atmosphere in the state is warming up. Major political parties have undertaken exercises to make their presence felt. These parties believe that a mid-term poll is inevitable because of the fluid situation at the Centre. The attack on Christians and criticism of the BJP by its allies may force elections to the Lok Sabha earlier than expected. Although the Chief Minister and president of the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) Mr Bansi Lal, has been holding meetings for the past many months, mainly to counter the anti-government propaganda by the Opposition and agitating employees, he has intensified the campaign in the past few weeks. He has already addressed rallies at Ratia and Sirsa. Today he addressed a meeting at Tohana. On Sunday he is scheduled to address another meeting at his hometown, Bhiwani. His main stress at these meetings has been on revamping the power sector for round-the-clock uninterrupted supply to consumers after June 30. He also assures time-bound repair of link roads and state highways. The exercise is aimed at expanding the base of the HVP and activating party workers so that the party does not suffer in case the BJP severs ties with it. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), the main Opposition party in Haryana, has since the New Year day, started holding meetings of workers constituency-wise. This exercise will continue till January 16 during which period the party supremo, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, will address 64 meetings. The purpose appears to be aimed at boosting the morale of the rank and file which has been demoralised following the party's humiliating defeat in the Rajasthan and Delhi assembly elections. The INLD, which helped out the BJP at a crucial juncture, appears directionless. The BJP refused to severe its ties with the HVP as it would have sent the wrong signals to its allies at the Centre, thereby frustrating the INLD calculations. The decision by the Congress to undertake "padayatras" in the state from January 30, appears to be aimed at taking advantage of the party's victory in Rajasthan, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh as well as mobilisation of its workers. It also proposes to hold a rally at Jind on February 13. The BJP, ruling alliance partner, has too, started holding meetings of its workers at the Mandal level and plans to hold a rally at Jind on January 23 under the aegis of its Yuva Morcha. The exercise appears to be aimed at boosting the morale of its activists and assessing its base before finalising its election strategy. The newly constituted Sarvjatiya Manch headed by industrialist-turned-politician Om Parkash Jindal is yet in into infancy. About the Left parties, the CPM alone is making its presence felt by issuing statements on economic policies pursued by the Vajpayee government and on problems of employees and trade unions. However, it is authoritatively learnt that the party is contemplating a front with other Left and democratic parties in the state. Although all Opposition
parties have been criticising the HVP-BJP government none
appears serious for launching an agitation against the
government on issues affecting the people. |
Bhindawas a magnet for birds ROHTAK: Bhindawas Lake, located in the Jhajjar district, appears to be a natural habitat for a number of birds in this season and is a paradise for bird-watchers. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Arun Kumar, told that nearly 50 varieties of birds from various places, start arriving in this lake with the onset of winter and enjoy the warm sun till February. Some of the birds commonly spotted are Spoonbill, Duck, Spotbill, Pochard, Common crane and Kingfisher. The lake, spread over an area of 1017 acres, was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985 by the government for protecting and developing wildlife. The sanctuary is surrounded by Kanwah, Nawada, Shajadpur, Chadwana and Redhuwas villages. Decades ago, it is said, some English tourists spotted this water-logged area and named it after Bhindawas village which is same distance away from this sanctuary. This largest wetland of Haryana is nearly 80 km from Delhi and 25 km from Jhajjar. The lake area was village revenue land used for crop cultivation before it came under the control of the Irrigation Department and later under the Forest Department. The area has trees such as eucalyptus and acacia and other species like Azadirachta indica, and zizyphus. Plants around the lake provide the birds a place for building nests. Mr Arun Kumar says that
hunting in the sanctuary has been banned. However, to
educate the population living around the sanctuary, camps
have been organised to educate them on the need to
preserve wildlife. |
Govt anti-people, says
Surjewala CHANDIGARH, Jan 2 — Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, President, Haryana Krishak Samaj, said here today that the HVP-BJP Government, led by Mr Bansi Lal, had consistently displayed its anti-people bias by pursuing policies to the detriment of farmers, dalits, government employees, traders and poor people of the state. He said only 25 per cent of poor families were included in the list prepared by the Civil Supplies Department while the rest of the families under poverty line were excluded deliberately to include effluent people under the pressure of the BJP and HVP legislators. He said he challenged the statement of Prof Ganeshi Lal, Civil Supplies Minister, in this connection. The Government's "repressive policies and inimical attitude "towards the demands of government employees had once again proved the Chief Minister’s old bias against them. The majority of these employees belonged to the lower middle and poor sections of society. He demanded that all the arrested employees be immediately released, the suspended employees be reinstated and the government should accept all their genuine demands. He claimed that there was a steep increase in atrocities against the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes people, particularly against women. The spate of incidents of molestation and murder of young people of these sections and the government’s apathy to stop these was causing serious apprehensions in the minds of the poor. After the successive failure of cotton , paddy and sugarcane crops, it was the turn now of the oilseed crop currently damaged by the continuous fog and cold. Despite the declarations of the state government and also the visit to Haryana of a Central team, not a single penny of compensation had been made by the two governments till today. The half-hearted announcement of the loan recovery being deferred or converted into medium term loan had been belied. The farmers were neither getting any loan nor had they got the DAP, the seeds and other inputs at the time of need. The power supply continued to be erratic and the transformers were not being replaced for months together, he said. The Haryana Krishak Samaj
had decided to take another deputation of farmers leaders
to the Rashtrapati to present a memorandum of their
demands on the above-mentioned issues. It would demand
action against the state government for its failure to
discharge its constitutional obligations as the state was
already reeling under the failing law and order
situation. A deputation of the Samaj leaders from Haryana
was also likely to call upon the Congress President
against the failure of the Central as well as the state
governments. |
Refund deposit with interest,
HUDA told PANCHKULA, Jan 2 — Holding the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) responsible for offering a plot involved in litigation and that too after five years of the stipulated time period the local consumer court has directed the former to refund the amount deposited by an allottee for a plot at Jagadhri. He has also been awarded Rs 1000 as costs of the proceedings. The order was passed by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum on a complaint filed by Mrs Salochna Bansal. She alleged that she was allotted a 12 marla plot at Jagadhri. After having deposited Rs 25,112 she visited the HUDA office to take possession of the plot. The complainant came to know that the acquisition of the land on which she had been allotted the plot had been quashed by the high court and so she asked for a refund of the amount deposited by her. On August 12, 1997, HUDA wrote to her to produce the original allotment letter so as to give her the refund. But nothing happened afterwards. The forum in its order said HUDA gave physical possession of the plot after an inordinate delay of five years and even then the plot was not free from litigation. HUDA has also been
directed to pay 18 per cent interest on the amount
deposited by the plot allottee. |
Preparations on for HVP rally BHIWANI, Jan 2 — The Haryana Vikas Party is determined to make tomorrow's rally, to be held at Kirori Mal Park here, a grand success. The Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, and other HVP leaders, ministers and legislatures will address the rally. The rally is a part of the HVP's plan to create a favourable image in the minds of people so that it performs well in the next elections. The party had also launched a mass contact campaign to create general goodwill. Under this campaign Mr Kanwal Singh, State Development and Panchayat Minister, and some other ministers visited the district public meetings held and funds were distributed for different development schemes. Mr Sat Pal Sangwan, MLA
and President of the district unit of the HVP, said the
mass contact campaign had helped the party as its workers
and leaders had been able to dispel the false propaganda
by the opposition parties against the State Government. |
Employees form common front HISAR, Jan 2 — Two main employees' unions of Haryana, the Sarv Karamchari Sangh and the Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh, today formed a common front for launching a statewide agitation against the government. Sources said an eight-member committee had been formed to chalk out a strategy and work on the modalities for the stir against the policies of the government. The sources said the
agitation plan would be announced soon. Reinstatement of
the dismissed employees would be on top of the agenda. |
200 pilgrims to visit Katasraj YAMUNANAGAR, Jan 2 — The Centre has given permission to 200 Hindu pilgrims to visit Shri Katasraj in Pakistan. Mr Shiv Partap Bajaj, President of the Kendriya Sanatan Dharam Sabha (northern India), said here today that they had received information from the External Affairs Ministry that the jatha could leave from Amritsar on February 11 for the 7-day pilgrimage. He said the pilgrims would have a holy dip at Shri Amar Kund Sarovar at the shrine on Maha Shivratri on February 13 and 14. Mr Bajaj alleged that last
time pilgrims had to face a lot of difficulties during
the visit because of lack of proper arrangements by the
Pakistan Government. He said the pilgrims should be given
more attention and facilities during their stay in
Pakistan. |
Salary of JE withheld CHANDIGARH, Jan 2 — An Executive Engineer of the Public Works (B and R) Department, Haryana, currently posted at Ambala Cantt and holding dual charge, appears to have become quite autocratic in his actions. He has ordered non-payment of salary of a junior engineer of his department without giving any reason even when the JE was reported to be present in the office throughout the month, as per attendance statement. However, the same JE had refused to verify the unusually high telephone bill of the PWD rest house under the charge of the Executive Engineer. It may be recalled that
the same Executive Engineer was charged with claiming
bogus TA bills. Mr P.K. Dass, then Joint Secretary,
Haryana Vigilance, had found the officer guilty of
claiming bogus bills. While the then Commissioner and
Secretary, holding the charge of the department also did
not oblige the guilty officer, the then Minister, PWD,
however showed his kindness towards the official. |
Traders say govt has let them down SIRSA, Jan 2 — The HVP-BJP government had misled traders, said state president of Haryana Pardesh Vayopar Mandal Bajrang Dass Garg. The government had promised to drop toll tax and simplify sales tax in the run up to the elections but even after 30 months of its rule they have not delivered. Instead traders and the public was being burdened with new taxes and licence fees. It was even overlooking
exploitation of traders by corrupt officials in the
Department of Sales Tax, Market Committee and Food and
Supplies. |
Lieutenant killed in accident HISAR, Jan 2 — An Army officer was killed in a road accident near Dabra Chowk here today when his motorcycle was hit by a PWD (B and R) truck. According to the police the deceased, Lt K.V.D. Narsiman, from Calcutta, was posted here about six months ago and was going towards the cantonment when he was hit by a truck. The police have registered
a case of negligent driving against the driver of the
truck who is absconding. |
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