61 IAS officers shifted
CHANDIGARH, July 30 — The Haryana Government tonight effected a major administrative reshuffle, transferring 61 IAS officers and one HCS officer.

Colonisers must pay for community bldgs
CHANDIGARH, July 30 — In a significant judgement involving payment of Rs 73 crore by colonisers in the state of Haryana, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Mr Justice H.S. Brar and Mr Justice V.M. Jain upheld the demand made by Director of Town & Country Planning, Haryana.

Rohtak sugar mill faces financial crisis
ROHTAK, July 30 — The future of the 44-year-old Haryana Co-operative Sugar Mills here appears uncertain because of a severe financial crisis.

3 cops in the dock on thief’s complaint
YAMUNANAGAR, July 30 — In an interesting reversal of roles, the Yamunanagar Police has registered a corruption case against three cops on a complaint lodged by a thief.

Ashwini Kumar, Hanuman Singh cremated
NARNAUL, July 30 — Hanuman Singh, a soldier from Batalik sector was yesterday cremated with full state honours at his native village, Kotla, in Mahendragarh subdivision.

CM promises probe into police firings
From Our Correspondent

NARNAUL, July 30 — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has said his government would give top priority to power and water supply and improvement in the law and order situation in the state.

Mr Chautala while talking to mediapersons here today at the PWD Rest House said in order to create confidence among people, law and order situation would be improved.

Answering a query the Chief Minister ordered Mr P.S. Saini, SP Narnaul to solve the case of the murder of Surender Singh who was murdered about a month back.

To a question, he said the domestic power transformers in the Mandiyali area, which were disconnected earlier, would be restored so as to facilitate the people of the area.

The Chief Minister said the recent political change in the state was due to the wrong decisions of the previous government.

He urged the people to cooperate with the administration and give due respect to the government officials and create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect.

MOHINDERGARH: While addressing a public meeting here Mr Chautala today assured the people of the state that an inquiry would be ordered to look into the circumstances leading to the killing of innocent farmers in Kadama, Tohana, Nissing and Narnaund and those found guilty would be punished. The Chief Minister also assured that the next of kin of those killed at these places in the firing incidents last year as a result of the atrocities committed against them would be compensated suitably. Eight farmers were killed allegedly in police firing at four places.

He said a backward artisan board would be set up on the pattern of Karnataka to benefit artisans and other weaker sections of the society.

Paying rich tributes to the Kargil martyrs, he said the grant to their families had been enhanced to Rs 10 lakh, also, the disabled soldiers would be provided financial assistance to enable them to earn their living.

Over Rs 5 lakh were presented to the Chief Minister by several leaders, including Bhai Ram Singh, Mr Bahadur Singh and Mr Bajrang Lal.

Rao Narbir Singh, Mr Kailash Chand Sharma, and Mr Jaswant Singh Bawal, all Haryana ministers were also present on the occasion.

Later, the Chief Minister visited the residence of Hanuman Singh, ninth martyr from the district, who laid down his life after killing two Pakistani infiltrators.

REWARI: Mr Chautala said here today that he would give top priority to the removal of "injustices" done to South Haryana by the previous governments.

He said he would make efforts to expedite the opening of a Sainik School in South Haryana and restart construction work at Post Graduate Regional Centre.

Boy hit by minister's car, dies
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, July 30 — A nine-year-old boy was killed when he was reportedly hit by the official car of the Haryana Cabinet Minister, Mr Jagan Nath, at Kasan village, 15 km from here, last night.

The accident occurred at about 8 p.m. when the Minister was on his way from Chandigarh to his home constituency, Bhwani Khera. The victim, Surinder, who was hit by the car at Kasan village, died on the spot. A large number of people gathered and did not allow the car to move. They alleged that the driver was driving the vehicle roughly and negligently.

On receiving information, Deputy Commissioner Jaiwanti Sheokand, and the SP, Mr Khushi Ram, rushed to the site. The matter was resolved when the Congress, MLA, Mr Randeep Surjewala, who happened to pass through the village, and officials of the district administration pacified the crowd.

The car has reportedly been impounded and the driver arrested. The Deputy Commissioner announced a grant of Rs 10,000 to the family of the deceased from the Red Cross. The minister and other officials remained in the village till late night till the body was sent for a port-mortem examination.

Later, the minister left in a car provided by the district administration.

When Nissing was saved from flood fury
From K.G. Dutt
Tribune News Service

KARNAL: July 21 almost proved to be doomsday for residents of over 24 villages in the Nissing area. Over six hours of continuous torrential rains had inundated an area of about 200 sq. km. The rainfall was more than 10 centimetres. Residents of two dozen villages did not know where to go and how to save themselves from being inundated. The worst-affected villages were Gondhar, Balu, Bir Wadhelwa, etc. Residents of the deras in the low-lying areas were surrounded by about eight feet of water which had a strong current.

In such a situation, Nissing town with a population of over 25,000 faced the danger of being washed away. It was the sheer grit and determination of the officials, workers and engineers of the Irrigation Department led by Mr G.S. Sharma, Executive Engineer, which saved Nissing town from being flooded.

According to eye-witnesses, a wall of water up to eight feet high had collected along the Nissing bundh. It was spread over several kilometres. In such a situation one could gauge the misery of the residents.

Mr Sharma told T.N.S. that the total length of the bandh was 7,000 feet and the floodwaters were threatening to spill over the bandh. The only escape route available to the authorities was the Nissing drain. The people of the area say that the Irrigation Department could have easily diverted the floodwaters to the Chutang nullah, a natural water creek. However, Mr Sharma and other engineers maintained that Chutang nullah had been closed since 1962. It was done to save the Safidon-Jind-Asandh areas from being perennially flooded during the rainy season. The waters in the Chutang nullah used to flood fields spread over 100 villages. To overcome this problem, the irrigation authorities had diverted its waters into the Indri drain at the Kaithal road crossing. The waters of Chutang nullah were allowed to flow into the Nissing drain and further to the Yamuna river. Nowadays farmers use the land besides it for cultivation. The authorities, therefore, had ruled out the possibility of allowing floodwaters into the Chutang nullah. Had it not been done, Mr Sharma maintained, over 100 villages in the Asandh-Safidon-Jind belt would have been marooned.

The authorities, therefore, decided to made a cut in the Nissing drain to allow floodwaters to escape through it. The capacity of the Nissing drain is only 650 cusecs. The floodwaters that had collected in the area near the bandh were estimated to be 72.62 crore c. ft. Engineers explained that as per the designed capacity of the drain it would have taken 10 to 12 days for floodwaters to be completely drained out from the villages and from near Nissing town. But as the water was menacingly advancing towards Nissing town, a 40-feet cut was made in the drain to save the village from being washed away. The water gushed into the drain while irrigation department workers kept round-the-clock vigil on its banks to save it from being broken.

Mr Sharma disclosed that it took about four days to clear the floodwaters over an area of 200 sq. km. He admitted that water was still standing there in low-lying areas of Balu and Gondhar villages etc. But it was being drained out with the help of pumps.

The 40-feet wide cut made in the drain saved Nissing town from being marooned. Property worth crores of rupees would have been destroyed had the engineers not acted timely and wisely.

Mr M.S. Yadav, Superintending Engineer, Yamuna Water Circle, Karnal, who tours the area frequently, refuted the criticism and maintained that all drains in the area were effectively functioning. The drains are Nissing, Sambhli drain and Balu link drain which helped the department to speedily clear the floodwaters. The authorities admitted that floodwaters could not be ruled out in some low-lying deras but it had almost been cleared from other areas.

Another major threat, the authorities faced was the flood in the Narwana-Bhakra-Karnal Link Canal popularly known as N.B.K. Link. Mr Sharma and his complement of engineers saved the canal from being breached at RD 74.

According to information available, there is a trough for the Jundala distributary crossing the N.B.K. Link near RD 74. Owing to flooding of the SYL Canal. "jal khumbi", known as water hyacinth, had entered the N.B.K. Link Canal. Jal khumbi had covered the waters spread over 10,000 feet near RD 74. Consequently, the passage of water at the trough was completely blocked. The jal khumbi had entered the Budhera complex along with floodwaters from Punjab. It ultimately blocked passage of water in the N.B.K. Link. As a result, water level in the canal had started to rise by about two feet. Had the engineers not acted in time, the canal waters would have breached the N.B.K. Link. It would have caused havoc over a 400 sq km area.

The irrigation workers and officials cut the jal khumbi. Villagers' help was sought for this operation. Ultimately, the engineers deployed a machine known as J.C.B. which pressed the jal khumbi so that it might flow down under the bridge. Department engineers of Jind and Panipat were informed in time that jal khumbi was flowing along with floodwaters in the N.B.K. Link Canal. Had they not been informed, it would have led to blocking of the water passage downstream.

The efforts of the engineers resulted in clearing the jal khumbi at RD 74 within 12 hours. In this way, they were able to save the N.B.K. Link from being breached, which otherwise would have resulted into a catastrophic situation for the residents in an area of over 400 sq km.

New govt to improve law & order: Sampat
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, July 30 — A senior Cabinet Minister of Haryana, Mr Sampat Singh, today said that the new state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala will give priority to improve the law and order situation in the state and to streamline the irrigation and power supplies to the people of the state.

He was addressing a civic reception organised by local at the PWD rest house here in honour of Mr Om Prakash Jain, newly inducted Minister of State in Haryana Cabinet.

Criticising the former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, as an autocratic ruler, he alleged that people of the state, including farmers and government employees, were fed up on being neglected by the former Chief Minister.

Mr Sampat Singh reiterated his allegations that the grant to Agroha Medical Collage was stopped during the rule of Mr Bansi Lal. He reminded that a former Chief Minister, Mr Devi Lal, had sanctioned 50 per cent matching grants for building and other materials, including instruments and machinery and 99 per cent grant as the pay and allowances of the Agroha Medical Collage Staff. By restoring the government grants, Mr Chautala has done a commendable job which would benefit the students.

On this occasion Mr Jain praised Mr Chautala for enhancing the ex-gratia payment to the families of the Kargil martyrs.

Mr Jain said that he had earlier supported the Bansi Lal government thinking that it would bring allround development in the town. But his hopes proved futile due to the indifferent attitude of Mr Bansi Lal, he alleged.

Later while addressing the District Officers, Mr Sampat Singh exhorted them to redress the grievances of the people on a priority basis and be accessible to them.

61 IAS officers shifted
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 30 — The Haryana Government tonight effected a major administrative reshuffle, transferring 61 IAS officers and one HCS officer.

The list of officers to be transferred was finalised and approved by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, at an informal meeting with officers of his Secretariat held at Morni, near here, last night.

Though Mr Chautala left Chandigarh for Narnaul early this morning, it seems pulls and pressure continued to be applied by interested quarters throughout the day, delaying the issue of formal orders.

It is learnt that the original list of officers to be transferred was very long. But Mr Chautala is believed to have put his foot down. He reportedly told his officers that such a long list would give an impression that he was "vindictive like his predecessor". Therefore, only those officers whose services had either been underutilised or not utilised at all as per their ability by the previous government should be given suitable postings. Certain officers would definitely disagree with Mr Chautala.

Mr L.M. Jain gets charge of the Rehabilitation and Consolidation Departments in addition to being the Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Revenue, Power and Non-Conventional Energy Sources.

Mr K.G. Verma, Home Secretary, goes as Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Labour and Employment. Mr L.M. Goyal, who was one of the contenders for the post of Chief Secretary, has been made Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Cooperation Department, vice Mrs Urvashi Gulati, who becomes Commissioner and Secretary, Industrial Training and Vocational Education.

Mr P.R. Kaushik becomes the Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Fisheries Department, Mr Virendra Nath goes as Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Transport.

Mr Sunil Ahuja is the new Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Science and Technology. Mr G. Madhavan is now Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Health (including Medical Education).

Mrs Veena Eagleton is Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department and Commissioner for Inquiry I.

Mrs Komal Anand is Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Public Health. Mr B.D. Dhalia becomes the Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation, Administration of Justice and Forests. He will also be the Commissioner, Gurdwara Elections.

Mrs Asha Sharma will be Secretary, Development and Panchayats. Mr Prem Prashant is Secretary, Education and Languages, Achieves and Archaeology Departments.

Mr S.Y. Quraishi will be the Industries Liaison Commissioner, Haryana, New Delhi, as well as Secretary, Irrigation.

Mrs Deepa Jain Singh will be Secretary, Prohibition, Excise and Taxation and Commissioner for Inquiries-II.

61 IAS officers shifted in Haryana Mr Ranjit Issar, who was the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN), has been sidelined with the post of Officer-on-Special Duty, Manpower Planning. His wife, Promilla, who as Secretary had been holding an important department of Prohibition, Excise and Taxation, goes as Secretary, Wildlife Preservation.

Mr Chander Singh is the new Commissioner, Ambala Division. He will also be the Principal of Revenue Training Institute, Ambala Cantonment.

Mr K.S. Bhoria will be the Secretary, Public Works Department (Buildings and Roads) and Architecture.

Mr Naresh Gulati becomes Secretary, Sports and Youth Welfare and Cultural Affairs Departments. Mr R.S. Gujral will be the Managing Director, Hafed and MD, Hansi Cooperative Spinning Mills, Hansi.

Mr M.L. Tayal, who had been holding important departments of Industries, Environment, and Mines and Geology under the previous government, has been made the Officer-on-Special Duty, Planning Board, a post which has virtually no work.

Mr Raj Kumar becomes the Prohibition, Excise and Taxation Commissioner, considered to be a prestigious post.

Mr P.K. Chaudhary becomes the Secretary, Industries, Environment and Mines and Geology.

Mr S.C. Chaudhary, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Secretary, Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates, will also be Secretary, Housing.

Mr Sanjay Kothari will be Secretary, Coordination and Member-Secretary, Haryana Bureau of Public Enterprises. Mr Sajjan Singh becomes the Transport Commissioner. Mr Samir Mathur will be MD, Agro-Industries Corporation.

Dr Harbaksh Singh becomes the MD of the much sought-after Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC). He will also be the Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism, as well as the MD, Haryana Tanneries Limited, which had been lying closed for years.

Mrs Anuradha Gupta, former Home Secretary of Chandigarh, goes as MD, Sugarfed. Her husband, Mr P.K. Gupta, becomes the MD, Haryana Financial Corporation.

Mr D.S. Dhesi, Additional Principal Secretary-I to the Chief Minister, will also work as MD, Haryana State Small Industries and Export Corporation as well as the MD, Haryana Handloom and Handicrafts Corporation.

Mr Sushil Kumar becomes the Special Secretary, Rehabilitation-cum-Chief Settlement Commissioner.

Mrs Keshni Anand Arora, who topped among women candidates in her batch of the IAS, has been given a relatively minor post of Special Secretary, Industries.

Mr Y.S. Malik becomes the Chairman-cum-Managing Director, HVPN. Mr Sarban Singh is the new Director, Agriculture. Mrs Manju Gupta goes as the Chief Executive, Haryana Khadi and Village Industries Board.

Mr Roshan Lal will work as Joint Secretary, Finance. Mr P. Raghavendra Rao will be the MD, Dakshini Haryana Vidyut Vitaran Nigam, and Additional MD, HVPN. He will also be the Project Director of WRCP, Chandigarh, and that of HIRMI, Kurukshetra.

Mr Sanjiv Kumar becomes Director, Food and Supplies, as well as the Project Director, Haryana State Prathmik Shiksha Pariyojna Parishad.

Mr P.K. Mahapatra will be Joint Secretary, Finance.

Mr Vijai Vardhan becomes the Joint Secretary, Political and Services, Vigilance and Training Departments, as well as MD, Seeds Development Corporation.

Mr R.D. Sheokand becomes the Managing Director, Haryana Backward Classes Kalyan Nigam. Mr Alok Nigam will be the new Chief Administrator of the Haryana Agricultural Marketing Board.

Mr R.R. Jowel is the new Director, Local Bodies. Mr M. Kithan will be the Director, Social Defence and Security and Welfare of SCs and BCs.

Mrs Dheera Khandelwal will be Joint Secretary, Industrial Training and Vocational Education. Mr N.C. Wadhwa goes as the Chief Administrator, HUDA. He will also be the Director, Town and Country Planning and Urban Estates as well as the Adviser, Civil Aviation.

Mr R.K. Garg will be the MD, Haryana Harijan Kalyan Nigam. Mrs Jyoti Arora becomes the Director, Women and Child Development, and MD, Women and Child Development Corporation.

Mr T.C. Gupta will be the Director, Industries and Mines and Geology.

Mr Rajiv Arora will be Joint Secretary, Home-I and Inquiry Officer, Vigilance-I.

Mr N.S. Tanwar becomes Joint Secretary, Administrative Reforms and Wildlife Preservation. Mr T.V.S.N. Prasad is Joint Secretary, Forests.

Mr H.S. Rana goes as MD, Harco Bank. Mr Vivek Joshi will be the new Director, Secondary Education and Inquiry Officer, Vigilance-II.

Mr Shiv Raman Gaur is the MD Confed and Joint Secretary, Health. Mr P.C. Bidhan will be the Joint Secretary, Home-II and Joint Commissioner, Gurdwara Elections.

Mr J.P.S. Sangwan will be the Administrator, HUDA, Faridabad. Mrs Sukriti Likhi will be the Additional MD, Hafed, General Manager, Hansi Spinning Mills and MD, Haryana Concast, in addition to her present duties as ADC, Hisar.

Mr Rakesh Gupta will be the SDM of the sensitive area of Meham.

Mr Ashok Kumar Yadav, HCS, goes as the Chief Executive Officer, Kurukshetra Development Board, Kurukshetra.

Colonisers must pay for community bldgs
By Our Legal Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, July 30 — In a significant judgement involving payment of Rs 73 crore by colonisers in the state of Haryana, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court comprising Mr Justice H.S. Brar and Mr Justice V.M. Jain upheld the demand made by Director of Town & Country Planning, Haryana.

This demand was raised for meeting the cost of construction of community buildings on the sites earmarked for hospitals, clubs, schools and other public utilities by the colonisers as per the contract.

The petitioners, Ansal Properties & Industries Limited (New Delhi), had challenged the demand letter dated January 11, 1988, and subsequent letters issued by the Director of Town & Country Planning, vide which the colonisers were asked to pay Rs 3.72 lakh per gross acre. The petitioners, while agreeing to pay the development charges of Rs 3.11 lakh per gross acre, disputed their liability to make payment of Rs 61,000, which included charges in respect of internal community buildings and challenged the condition that the amount should not be recovered from the allottees of plots.

The petitioners had alleged that the Director had no power or authority to include the cost of internal community buildings in the cost of external development works and that he was duty bound to function within the meanings of the Act, and that making an unlawful demand of Rs 61,000 per acre towards cost of internal community buildings was wholly arbitrary, unfair and unreasonable.

The stand of the petitioner was that there was no provision in the Act empowering the government to demand payment of construction costs for internal community buildings, and therefore the Director's demand was illegal because it was the responsibility of the department concerned or the user to construct these buildings.

On the other hand case, the government's stand was that as per law the coloniser was entitled to sell plots only in respect of 55 per cent area in a colony and the remaining 45 per cent area was to be earmarked for public works to be carried out by the colonisers as per layout plan and to be handed over to the government. A statutory obligation had been imposed the coloniser to construct community buildings at their own cost or get these constructed at its cost. The colonisers were duty bound to transfer such sites to the government and if the colonisers failed to complete construction within stipulated period, the government could get these buildings constructed at the cost of the colonisers as per sanctioned layout plan.

The Division Bench held that in view of the law laid down by the apex court and the facts and circumstances of the present case it could not be said that the Director had no power to ask the petitioner-company to pay for the community buildings or that the power given to the Director was arbitrary, without any guidelines or instructions. It dismissed the writ petition ruling. "We are further of the opinion, that the petitioner-company was bound to comply with the directions of the Director to pay for the community buildings, as contained in the letter Annexure P-2 and the subsequent letters Annexures P-7 and P-8".

Rohtak sugar mill faces financial crisis
Tribune News Service

ROHTAK, July 30 — The future of the 44-year-old Haryana Co-operative Sugar Mills here appears uncertain because of a severe financial crisis.

The accumulated losses of the mill as on March 31, 1999, stood at Rs 10 crore and it is unable to pay for the sugarcane purchased by it during the last crushing season.

The mills problems started with the expansions of its crushing capacity to 1750 MT in 1997-98 due to imbalances in the plant and machinery. The mill has initiated legal proceedings against the expansion implementing agency.

The mill-made profits up to 1975-76 and incurred losses after 1976-77. The losses continued up to 1981-82 and it had to spend heavily on the removal of the defects in the plant and machinery.

Ruling party leaders enhance the procurement price of sugarcane unilaterally without caring for the financial viability of sugar mills. The mills then have to arrange funds through short-term borrowing to pay for the sugarcane purchased.

While the cost of production of one quintal of sugar is Rs 1420, the government pays only Rs 1,000.85 for the levy sugar the mills are required to contribute to the central pool. The difference in the cost and the procurement price is born by the mills.

The local sugar mill now needs Rs 10 crore to pay for the sugarcane purchased by it. The Bansi Lal Government had, a few days before it resigned, advanced a loan of Rs 250 lakh at the rate of 12 per cent per annum. This aid has failed to satisfy the agitated farmers who demand immediate payments.

3 cops in the dock on thief’s complaint
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, July 30 — In an interesting reversal of roles, the Yamunanagar Police has registered a corruption case against three cops on a complaint lodged by a thief.

SP K.K. Sindhu, said here today that Amit Kumar, a resident of Gandhi Nagar here, had booked a room in a local hotel. Manager of the hotel felt that his behaviour was ‘mysterious’ and he informed the police about Amit Kumar.

The SP said on interrogation it was found that he had committed a theft in Tamil Nadu. The police recovered silver goods, stereos and some cash amount from him. In Tamil Nadu a case had been registered against Amit Kumar, the SP added.

The accused informed the police that three police constables — Neeraj Kumar, Gurnam, both from the district here and Anil Kumar of Ambala district took a bribe of Rs 10,000 from him. The SP stated that these police cops, first, arrested him and later released him after taking the said amount.

Farakhpur police station in the district has registered a case against the three constables under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Deputy Superintendent of Police Headquarters, Jagadhri, has been deputed to inquire into the matter.

Ashwini Kumar, Hanuman Singh cremated
From Tribune Reporters

NARNAUL, July 30 — Hanuman Singh, a soldier from Batalik sector was yesterday cremated with full state honours at his native village, Kotla, in Mahendragarh subdivision.

Thousands of men, women and children from all walks of life attended the funeral. He was the ninth martyr of the district.

Mr Udmi Ram, father of the deceased, lit the pyre. Five bullets were also fired.

Deputy Commissioner S.S. Prasad and the SP Mr P.S. Saini, the SDM of Mahendragarh, Rao Narender Singh, MLA, and others laid down wreaths.

BILASPUR: Naik Ashwini Kumar (26), who laid down his life in the Kargil sector in "Operation Vijay" was cremated with full military and state honours at Jethawin village, near Jhandutta 50 km from here, on Thursday.

The army and police contingents presented arms and reversed arms and fired volleys into the air and as a mark of respect.

Deputy Commissioner Ramesh Kapil laid wreath on behalf of Governor V.S. Rama Devi while the Chief Minister was represented by Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda. The Superintendent of Police was also present.

8 Haryana police officers transferred
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 30 — The Haryana Government today transferred five Indian Police Services (IPS) and three DSP rank officers with immediate effect.

Mr R.N. Chahalia, IG, Telecommunication; and Mrs Deepa Mehta, IG, Railways and Commando; will swap their places of posting.

Mr Hari Singh Ahlawat, IG/SCRB, has been posted as IG Ambala Range, against a vacant post. Mr Satyendra Kumar, who was IG, CID in the Bansi Lal Government has been posted as IG, Scientific Crime Research Bureau (SCRB), Madhuban, vice Mr Ahlawant.

Mr R.K. Vachher, DIG Haryana Armed Police, has been posted as DIG, State Vigilance Bureau. Mr Rajinder Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, HVPN, has been posted as DSP CID, vice Mr Inder Dutt, who goes as DSP, Hodel.

Mr Yoginder Singh, DSP, SVB, has been posted as DSP Jhajjar.

Haryana Cong media panel revamped
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, July 30 — The Haryana Congress today reconstituted its state-level media committee with the inclusion of a former minister, Mr Shyam Chand, as vice-president of the committee.

The secretary of the committee, Mr Arun Aggarwal of Bhiwani, has been dropped because of of alleged misuse of office and for issuing unauthorised statements to the press against senior state party leaders, according to the secretary of the media department of the party, Mr Rajinder Hooda.

Computers to help rail commuters
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, July 30 — The Ambala Railway Division has installed four computers at Ambala Cantonment, Chandigarh, Bathinda and Saharanpur stations to receive complaints and suggestions by passengers. This was stated by the Senior Divisional Commercial Superintendent, Mr Buta Singh, here yesterday.

He said the system would be connected with Railnet on the lines of Internet through e-mail services. It would facilitate quick transmission of passengers' messages to the departments concerned.

Mr Buta Singh said a National Train Enquiry System (NTES) terminal had been provided at the centralised enquiry system at the Divisional Railway Manager's (DRM) office here for dissemination of updated information on the arrival and departure of trains.

Garbage removal privatised
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, July 30 — A Delhi- based company has been entrusted with the task of removing the garbage from the city, from August 1, said Subedar Suman, Mayor of the Faridabad Municipal Corporation.

According to the contract signed between the company and the civil body, it would collect the garbage from sectors in its vehicles and transport it to Tigaon Road for preparation of compost manure. The company had been leased 16 acres of land at the monthly rate of Rs 5,000 per acre to set up the compost plant. The corporation would pay Rs 30,000 per month to the company for removing the garbage.

The Mayor said that with effect from April next year the company would lift the garbage from Faridabad-Delhi border to Ballabhgarh except the NIT area.

Bills issued on last date of payment
Tribune News Service

FARIDABAD, July 30 — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam has strange ways of working. Thousands of electricity bills were yesterday issued to consumers in Ballabhgarh on the last date fixed for payment.

The bills bore the last date for payment by cheque as July 28 and by cash July 29.

Official sources said the delay in the distribution of the bills had been caused due to acute shortage of staff.

HUDA removes encroachments
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, July 30 — Several houses, shops and other unauthorised structures were demolished in Sector 14, a HUDA colony during a four-hour operation carried out by HUDA officials and the Haryana Housing Board here today.

The demolishing squad removed several encroachments on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Meanwhile, a deputation of the residents of the colony called on the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala at Chandigarh yesterday and apprised him of the situation. The members of the deputation also demanded immediate stop to the demolishing operations and warned that if it was done, the residents would not vote in favour of the INLD candidate during the Lok Sabha elections.