Plea to adopt safety measures
ROHTAK, March 26 — The Meham Chaubisi Jan Sangathan has urged the district authorities to adopt adequate safety measures in the region against floods in view of the forthcoming rainy season.

Red Cross aid to handicapped
KARNAL, March 26 — The District Red Cross Society has identified 17109 children and adults who have been found to be handicapped throughout in the districts.

No surplus water for Haryana: Badal
HISAR, March 26 — Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, has reiterated that his state has no surplus water to give to Haryana.

Shops forced to close after SC youth’s murder
AMBALA, March 26 — Murder of a Scheduled Caste youth last evening led to the forcible closure of shops in the Sadar Bazar area in cantonment today. Later the shopkeepers declared indefinite strike in protest against the failure of the police to provide protection.

Four convicted in dowry death case
CHANDIGARH, March 26 — The Additional Sessions Judge of Ambala, Mr R.C. Bansal has convicted Vinod, Santosh Rani, Usha Rani and Shittal, husband, mother-in-law and sisters-in-law of Mrs Abha Rani, respectively on the charge of dowry death of Abha Rani.

Six wagons derailed

Irate farmers block traffic

Target may not be achieved
Loans for sprinkler irrigation sets
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, March 26 — The target of advancing loans amounting to Rs 30 crore for the purchase of sprinkler irrigation sets is not likely to be achieved by the end of current financial year.

According to reports, the land development banks in the state have advanced loans worth nearly Rs 5 crore to the farmers for the purchase of sets so far. Rest of the amount (Rs 25 crore) is likely to lapse after March 31. The worst sufferers will be the farming community which will be deprived of the subsidy worth nearly Rs 5 crore.

It was learnt that owing to 'undue' delay in fixation of rates of the sets by a high-powered committee, the farmers had hesitated in purchasing the sets.

The state government fixed the rates for the sets on March 8 last. Earlier, the land development banks were ready to advance loans to the farmers for the purchase of sets but the farmers could not buy the sets due to non-fixation of prices.

At present nearly 4,000 applications seeking loans are reportedly pending with various land development banks. With a view to completing the official formalities of these applications before March 31 the officials and employees of banks have been working overtime.

According to bank sources, the banks have been providing loans amounting to Rs 30 crore to the farmers for the past three or four years. Nearly 9000 farmers of Mahendragarh, Rewari, Bhiwani, Jhajjar districts have been benefiting every year. The sources reveal that loans worth over Rs 225 crore have been advanced to nearly one lakh farmers of the state from 1970 to 1998 for the purchase of sets.

It is learnt that only the private dealers have been involved in selling these sets so far but now the state government has also authorised the Haryana Agro Corporation for the sale. The move has proved to be a safeguard for the farmers against the alleged fleecing by the private dealers. According to information, the private dealers have been charging Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 more than that by the Haryana Agro Corporation for each set. However, certain farmers told this correspondent that the private dealers used to supply the sets to them even seven to eight months before the sanction of their loans. They said this facility was not given to them by the corporation.

With a view to promoting the sprinkler irrigation scheme in the sandy areas the sets are sold at subsidised rates by the government. The subsidy to a set was Rs 4,000 till 1995 which was increased to Rs 10,000 per set in 1996. The subsidy to a set was Rs 15,000 for Dalits and women. However, the subsidy for general category farmers was decreased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 7,000 in 1997-98.

According to sources, the government has not paid the amount for subsidy worth nearly Rs 2 crore since 1995-96. An amount of Rs 1 crore as subsidy each to Bhiwani and Mahendragarh districts is yet to be released by the government while the pending subsidy amount is Rs 24 lakh in Jhajjar district.

VCs to identify priority areas
From Jatinder Sharma
Tribune News Service

HISAR, March 26 — The Vice-Chancellors of agricultural universities of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu will meet here on April 16 and April 17 to identify priority areas for collaboration works.

Prof J.B. Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, told TNS here today that since these states belonged to a similar climatic zone, the meeting would identify the areas for working in partnership. The meeting would also deliberate on the common problems being faced by these states.

Besides, the Vice-Chancellors, the meeting will be attended by senior officers of the Agricultural, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Departments of the respective states. The meeting, which has been convened by the ICAR, is likely to be addressed by the Union and State Agricultural Ministers besides the progressive farmers.

Professor Chowdhury indicated that the government was actively considering the implementation of UGC recommended pay-scales for university teachers. An announcement to this effect, he hoped, would be made soon. The Board of Management (BoM) of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, at its meeting on March 23, authorised the Vice-Chancellor to implement the revised scales as soon as notified by the government.

The Vice-Chancellor said the university was planning to enhance the stipend of the students. He said information regarding the quantum of stipend being paid in other agriculture universities of the region was being gathered. Finance implications arising from the hike in the stipend amount, were being worked out, he said.

The stipend for the students was last revised in 1993-94, vide which a Ph.D. student was entitled to a stipend of Rs 250 per month. An undergraduate student gets Rs 300 and M.Sc. Rs 200. While the merit stipend for M.Sc. students is Rs 600, it is Rs 900 for Ph.D. merit student.

Meanwhile, the annual budget of the university for 1999-2000 has been approved by the BoM. The budget estimated at Rs 91.60 crore includes a provision for Rs 18.37 crore for AHRD works.

Although the university claimed that the budget for the next financial year was higher by 24.5 per cent over the 1998-99 budget, the figures provided to TNS were different. As against a budget of Rs 96.87 crore in 1998-99, the next year's budget is Rs 91.60 crore less by Rs 5.27 crore.

The 1999-2000 budget has specific provision of Rs 13.87 crore for Human Resource Development Project aided by the World Bank. It was Rs 5.74 crore during the current financial year budget. Following the expiry of its present term, atleast 10 schemes financed by the ICAR have been excluded from the budgetary allocations. Similarly, four plan schemes have also been dropped.

Of the total budget of Rs 91.60 crore, Rs 86.85 crore would be given as grant by the state government, ICAR and other financing agencies. The university would generate Rs 4.75 crore from its own resources.

Professor Chowdhury said priority had been given to research, including farm facilities. Nearly 32.26 per cent of the budget allocations had been earmarked under this head. Over 40.80 per cent of the budgetary allocations had been earmarked for teaching and library facilities. 4.73 per cent for administrative offices, 8.48 per cent for the maintenance of buildings and 3.13 per cent for students and employees welfare activities.

Special trains for Khalsa celebrations
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, March 26 — The Ambala Railway Division has made special arrangements to meet the rush of pilgrims for the tercentenary celebrations at Anandpur Sahib from April 6 to April 16.

The Senior Divisional Operations Manager, Mr Anurag, said here today that the existing four pairs of passenger trains running on the Sirhind-Nangal Dam section would be augmented by at least five coaches each. An additional pair of passenger train between Sirhind and Nangal Dam would be introduced to meet the extra rush. Besides, the Hatia Express, the Jammu Mail, the Golden Temple Express, the Puja Express, the Punjab Mail, the Shan-e-Punjab Express, the Amritsar-New Delhi Express and the Sachkhand Express will have stoppages of two minutes each at Sirhind from April 6.

He said special arrangements would be made at level-crossing gates to ensure the safe and efficient movement of trains.

Meanwhile, the convener of the Haryana Punjabi Pratinidhi Sabha, Mr Virender Kapoor, said here today that to mark the tercentenary celebrations, a special function was being held at Khanna Palace on March 31. He said the former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, would be honoured at the function.

Violation of cinema Act causes concern
Tribune News Service

KARNAL, March 26 — Members of the Haryana Cinema Owners Association has expressed concern over the frequent and open violation of the Cinematographic Act by the private video parlour owners in the state.

Mr Navdeep Bansal, general secretary of the association, here today in a memorandum sent to the Haryana Government urged the state authorities to direct the district magistrates and the district police chiefs to check this menace with stern measures.

Mr Bansal expressed concern that if the present trend of violation continued, the cinema industry in the state would go to dogs and experience untold financial losses.

He maintained that showing of films in the video halls and on TV cable network illegally adversely affected the collection of revenue by the state government. He disclosed that out of Rs 10 collected from the viewers each cinema owner paid over Rs 6 as entertainment and other taxes to the government. But the video parlours and TV cable network owners who show films illegally did not pay any revenue to the state. This therefore, led to financial loss to the state exchequer.

He said that under the Copy Right Act 1957 and Under Section 63(B) and the 1958 Cinema rules, anybody showing a film illegally could be imprisoned from six months to three years. Besides, a fine ranging between Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh could also be imposed on him.

Similarly, under Section 6 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition Act 1986) anybody showing pornographic material could be sentenced up to five years. But despite the stringent laws illegal showing of such films was continuing. The society therefore, wanted that the law enforcement agencies should launch a movement to arrest such persons.

The Panipat police is reported to have registered a case against a video-parlour owner on March 21 under Section 420 IPC, the Copy Right Act 1957 and the Cinematographic Act 1952, who was found to be showing a pornographic film.

Plea to adopt safety measures
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, March 26 — The Meham Chaubisi Jan Sangathan has urged the district authorities to adopt adequate safety measures in the region against floods in view of the forthcoming rainy season.

Ms Meena Chaudhary, president of the Sangathan, said the Meham region had been hit by floods for the past four consecutive years. Farmers had to suffer heavy losses as their crops spread over thousands of acres had been damaged by floods last year. The sangathan estimated a total crop loss at nearly Rs 100 crore in the region last year.

Ms Chaudhary alleged that the authorities used to wake up when a large number of villages were inundated. She alleged the authorities swung into action last year when the standing kharif crops at Balambha, Ajaib, Nidana, Girawar, Bharayan, Mokhra, Nidana, Kharainti, Chandi, Gugaheri, Farmana, Bainsi etc. had been damaged by the floods.

She also appealed to rectify the fault in the level designing of the Meham drain. Meena Chaudhary complained that several villages located at tailend had not been getting irrigation water.

Red Cross aid to handicapped
Tribune News Service

KARNAL, March 26 — The District Red Cross Society has identified 17109 children and adults who have been found to be handicapped throughout in the districts. Mr Sunil Kumar, secretary, District Red Cross Society, stated here today that most of the children had been afflicted with polio and were unable to bear the expenses of medical treatment.

Keeping this in view the society has planned to provide medical and other facilities to these people in a phased manner. In the first phase, society organised a polio operation camp in which 399 handicapped children were examined. Out of it, 36 handicapped persons were operated upon free of charge.

In the second phase, the society provided 60 tricycles to the handicapped people. These tricycles were presented at a function which was chaired by Mr Ved Pal, Chairman of the Haryana Marketing Board on March 24.

Mr Sunil Kumar said during the current financial year the society provided 140 tricycles and 10 hearing aid machines to handicapped persons. The total money spent in giving aid to them amounted to over Rs 6 lakh.

The society also provided a grant of Rs 60,000 and sewing machines worth about Rs 75,000 to poor girls on their marriage.

The society organised 16 blood donation camps in which 620 donors donated blood. About 1000 handicapped people were provided with artificial limbs by the society.

No surplus water for Haryana: Badal
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, March 26 — Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, has reiterated that his state has no surplus water to give to Haryana.

Mr Badal was here in connection with the marriage of a granddaughter of Mr Om Prakash Chautala, former Chief Minister of Haryana.

Talking to mediapersons yesterday Mr Badal said a large number of tubewells had been installed by the farmers of Punjab for the growing of paddy therefore the water table in the state had gone down. With this the demand of the water has also been increased.

Mr Badal said the water dispute between Punjab and Haryana should be resolved by the judicial verdict. He was in favour of to solve this dispute through the riparian law. He said when this law had been applied in several other states for the settlement of water dispute, it should also be applied here.

In reply to a question, Mr Badal said that his government was not taking any action against Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, President of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) in connection with the filling up of the SYL canal a few days ago as this action was a democratic way to express resentment.

Four convicted in dowry death case
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, March 26 — The Additional Sessions Judge of Ambala, Mr R.C. Bansal has convicted Vinod, Santosh Rani, Usha Rani and Shittal, husband, mother-in-law and sisters-in-law of Mrs Abha Rani, respectively on the charge of dowry death of Abha Rani.

Mr Bansal sentenced all the accused to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years. The period of sentence already undergone during investigation and trial shall be set off.

According to the prosecution, the deceased was married to Vinod Kumar on November 9, 1995. Mr Sanjeev Kumar, brother of Abha Rani had gone to meet his sister to deliver some articles (gifts) on the occasion of Holi. On reaching there he was told by the accused that they had not been given neither a scooter nor a television set. On that the convicts taunted him and his sister.

In his complaint Mr Sanjeev Kumar stated that his sister told him that she was being subjected to harassment every now and then for not bringing a scooter and a TV set. He was given food in a separate room. Later he went to sleep. And when he got up in the morning he was told by the convicts that his sister had died after drowning in a well.

Then he approached the police and lodged an FIR that his sister had been thrown into the well on account of harassment, and for not bringing enough dowry.

Woman burnt to death
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, March 26 — A young married woman was allegedly burnt to death at her in-laws' house in Sampla town near here on Wednesday.

According to the complaint lodged with the police by the brother of the victim, his sister, Pramila (20), had been married to Rakesh of Ismaila village, but presently living at Sampla town, last year was allegedly burnt to death by her in-laws' as she 'failed' to satisfy their demand for more dowry.

The complainant has alleged that his sister was being harassed by her husband and mother-in-law. The deceased belonged to Piplikhera village in Sonepat district. A case under Section 304-B of the Anti-Dowry Act (IPC), has been registered.

Meanwhile, the local police has identified the body of a 28-year-old youth who had reportedly committed suicide by jumping in front of a train near the railway crossing at Kathmandi area here on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Mangat Ram of Lahli village in the district, but presently living at Hisar. He was one of the accused in the multiple murder case of six members of a family at Matrasham village in Hisar, a week ago. He was the son-in-law of a woman reported to have some connection with the main accused in the incident.

Four killed, two hurt in mishap
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, March 26 — Four persons died and six were injured, two of them seriously, in a road accident near Patli Dabar village in the district today.

According to police sources, a marriage party was returning from the marriage function in a jeep (HR-39/5579) when it collided with a truck HRJ/3577) coming from the opposite direction.

Shamsher, driver of the jeep, Veer Singh, Fateh Singh and Subhash died, whereas Ram Kumar and Naresh were seriously injured, while Jagdish, Duni Ram Pirthi and Mahabeer were among the injured. All injured have been admitted to the Civil Hospital here.

Six wagons derailed
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, March 26 — Train services on the Sonepat-Delhi section of the Northern Railway remained disrupted for several hours following the derailment of six wagons of a Delhi-bound passenger train at the New Azadpur railway station, 45 km from here yesterday. However, no casualty was reported.

A technical defect at the cross-over site of the railway track was said to here caused the derailment.

The accident occurred around 2 p.m. when the 2DN shuttle, running between Ambala and Delhi, derailed.

Almost all UP trains between Delhi and Amritsar, Bathinda and Kalka ran behind schedule. Similarly, the down trains, including Sachkhand Express, Amritsar-New Delhi Superfast, Amritsar-Barauni and Chandigarh-Shatabdi, were diverted.

Traffic was, however, restored around midnight last night.

Shops forced to close after SC youth’s murder
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA, March 26 — Murder of a Scheduled Caste youth last evening led to the forcible closure of shops in the Sadar Bazar area in cantonment today. Later the shopkeepers declared indefinite strike in protest against the failure of the police to provide protection.

The incident took place when some youths were dancing during a procession being taken out on the occasion of Ram Navami through the main Sadar Bazar last evening. After a minor altercation between two groups, Monu was stabbed to death near Sarafa Bazar chowk. Munna and Sharwar were also injured in the attack. While Sharwar was admitted to the Civil Hospital in cantonment, Munna was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, in view of his critical condition.

A case of murder has been registered in this connection against Rajinder, Vikas, Dinesh and Rinku.

In order to press for the arrest of the accused, a number of people did not allow shops to open in the Sadar Bazar area. Later an assurance was given to the district administration that the shops would be allowed to open after the cremation of the victim. However, after the cremation, six youths armed with naked swords again forced the shopkeepers to close down the shops in the afternoon.

The irate shopkeepers, while condemning the role of the police, went on strike. They told police officials that the shops would be opened only after those six armed youths were arrested and the shopkeepers were provided adequate protection. They assailed the police for not being able to check the reign of terror in the market.

Meanwhile, the Nav-Yuvak Valmik Sangh and Aadi Dharm Samaj Aadhas have warned the administration that in case the police failed to arrest the accused within 24 hours, it would be responsible for any unpleasant situation. The secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Mr R.K. John, said that in case the police failed to nab the culprits soon, the party would launch an agitation.

Irate farmers block traffic
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR , March 26 — Irate farmers blocked the Saharanpur-Kurukshetra main highway last night to protest against the "indifferent" attitude of Saraswati Sugar Mill here.

Hundreds of farmers assembled in front of the mill gate, as they were not being provided sugarcane indent. They also alleged that the crushing of sugarcane had been reduced.

Mr Satpal Kaushik President, District Krishak Samaj and Mr Daljit Singh, a progressive farmer and former president of the Sugarcane Sangharsh Samiti and several others handed over a memorandum to the City Magistrate to be forwarded to the Chief Minister.