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H A R Y A N A |  |
 Sunday, November 14, 1999 |
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Surender Singh hints at changes in
HVP KURUKSHETRA, Nov 13 — Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) former MP and former Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal’s son, Mr Surender Singh, has urged upon the State Governor to immediately dismiss the Chautala government in the state. Railways beefs up security AMBALA, Nov 13 — The railways authorities have ordered strict vigilance and thorough checking in trains as well as at railway stations in the wake of high-powered bomb blast in Puja Express near Pathankot on Thursday night which left 14 dead and 58 injured. |
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MC staff not paid salary for 3 months FATEHABAD, Nov 13 — As many as 162 employees working in the local municipal committee have not been paid their monthly salary for the past three months. Though the municipal committee has made an assurance to them that the state government will soon release a grant of Rs 17 lakh for the payment of their salaries, the employees are finding it hard to arrange even frugal meals for their families. These employees include 29 octroi clerks and 18 peons, besides safai karamcharis. BSF jawans cremated Congress
to hold rally on Dec 23 Haryana
ex-MLA's son held for molestation Jats
pressure CM for OBC status Held
for wife's murder One
arrested on murder charge 3
dead in jeep, truck collision 2
women killed in mishap Medicare
scheme for Haryana poor Degree
courses in polytechnics ‘soon’ 36
warehouses planned Power
cut withdrawn Bus
passengers looted |
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Surender Singh hints at changes
in HVP KURUKSHETRA, Nov 13 — Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) former MP and former Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal’s son, Mr Surender Singh, has urged upon the State Governor to immediately dismiss the Chautala government in the state. Mr Surender Singh, while addressing a press conference at Parakeet Restaurant, 5 km from here today, alleged that Mr Chautala had inducted four HVP MLAs in his cabinet in violation of the Anti-Defection Act. Mr Surender Singh had come here to join the HVP workers’ rally organised at the district headquarters against short supply of electricity and drinking water hike in diesel prices and the failure of state government to curb the distress sale of paddy by farmers. District unit workers of the HVP led by Mr Surender Singh, took out a procession from Jat Dharamshala to the mini-secretariat here where they raised slogans in support of their demands. HVP Pradesh General Secretary Jatinder Singh former minister Kanwal Singh, HVP Punjabi Cell president Harish Kataria, district vice-president, Mr Dharam Pal Mehra and Mr Sher Singh also joined the rally. Mr Surender Singh further alleged that Mr Chautala had promised free electricity and water supply to the farmers. This was the first time that the HVP organised a protest demonstration after Mr Bansi Lal resigned following revolt within the party in July last and the drubbing the party got in the Lok Sabha poll. Led by general secretary and former Lok Sabha member Surender Singh, the HVP in separate memoranda addressed to President K.R. Narayanan and state Governor Mahabir Prasad, submitted through the Deputy Commissioner, demanded rolling back of diesel prices and compensation to farmers who were forced to resort to distress sale of their paddy because of apathy on part of procuring agencies. The memorandum to the Governor demanded that promises made by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections, should be fulfilled. These included free electricity and water to the agriculture sector, rolling back taxes to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore imposed by the predecessor government, filling up of about 60,000 vacancies of teachers and in government jobs and minimum support price for sugarcane at Rs 135 per quintal. Mr Surender Singh told mediapersons that the HVP would be revamped and the dead wood in the party would be replaced by young blood in order to reactivate it. This was his first interaction with the press after Mr Bansi Lal’s resignation. Responding to the questions, Mr Surender Singh, who lost from Bhiwani to Mr Ajay Singh, son of Mr Chautala, said his party, like other parties had performed poorly mainly because the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader, Mr Chautala had floated populist slogans like free water and electricity to farmers. The Chautala government should non fulfil its promises made to the electorate, he demanded. Mr Surender Singh alleged that the Panchayati Raj institutions funds were being forcibly diverted to Public Works Department to pay salaries to the staff. His allegation was supported by women activists from Thanesar Block Samiti. She said that Kurukshetra Deputy Commissioner, was forcing them to pass resolutions to this effect. The HVP leader said his party supported 30 per cent reservation for women in all representative bodies. Later, he was taken in a motorcade to Jat Dharamsala, the venue of the party meeting. He told party workers to
be ready for the snap Assembly poll as the Chautala
government’s popularity graph had declined steadily. |
Railways beefs up security AMBALA, Nov 13 (UNI) — The railways authorities have ordered strict vigilance and thorough checking in trains as well as at railway stations in the wake of high-powered bomb blast in Puja Express near Pathankot on Thursday night which left 14 dead and 58 injured. Railway sources said here today that field staff had been instructed to conduct joint thorough checking of carriage and wagons in washing lines and coaching yards. The Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police would ensure that the checking was conducted regularly. They have been asked to escort train rakes upto station platforms where again thorough checking and search would be carried out. The sources said frequent announcement through the public address system would be made to educate passengers and railway staff that they should not touch any suspicious articles and should not take eatables "even prasad" from unknown persons. If any of the passengers or staff member found any suspicious article in railway premises, its information should at once be given to the GRP, the RPF or the railway staff on duty. According to the
sources, night track patrolling had been ordered on
sensitive sections in Ambala division. Gangmen and watch
and ward staff, besides police personnel have been asked
to remain vigilant in detecting any suspicious object
planted on railway tracks or bridges. Round-the-clock
vigil has been ordered for protection of vital
installations like power cabins, power stations and
diesel engine workshops |
Notice to Haryana on Morni
Hills development CHANDIGARH, November 13 — Taking serious view of the violation of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, by the Haryana Government, the Ministry of Environment and Forest has served a notice on the state government for 14 roads passing through the reserved forest area of Morni Hills which were either constructed,metalled or widened without seeking the approval of the ministry. The ministry has demanded strict action against the officials of the PWD (B&R) who were responsible for the construction of the roads. The Public Works Department (Building and Roads), Haryana, had sought permission from the Environment ministry for the construction of 15 roads in the Morni hills. The ministry had granted permission to only three proposals — the 5.67 km long Pinjore-Nalagarh road to Prempura village, the 6.46 km Pinjore-Nalagarh road to Khol Fateh Singh and 4 km stretch from Sher Gujran to Bhoj Kudana. "The remaining 12 proposals were not cleared by the ministry for want of certain information sought from the state government,'' said the officials of the ministry. Senior officials of the Environment ministry said if any forest land had to be used for a non-forest purpose, the implementing agencies were required to take permission from the ministry. "In this case the PWD not only went ahead in constructing the 12 roads which were not cleared by us but for the 9 km Balag to Tikkar Tal road (4.75 km passing through the forest area) and 10.20 km-long Kharta to Barisher stretch (5.94 km passing through the forest area) the PWD did not even bother to apply for sanction,'' said an official. A pertinent question which needs to be mentioned here is the incessant demand for development of the area by the people of Morni Hills. Over the years the hill area which has remained, by and large, untouched from the process of development has been asking for a better deal in terms of transportation and communication links. In fact, the Shivalik Development Board was specifically constituted to give an impetus to the development activity in the hill area, and owing to great public pressure the government initiated widespread development activity in these hills. However, the Environment ministry officials fear that a sizeable portion of the forest cover in the hills which includes vegetation, soil, plants etc were destroyed during construction, metalling and widening of these roads. The officials were of the view that even the conversion of a kutcha road into a metalled one without the approval of the ministry was objectionable. Said an official: "Once the road is metalled it can be used for various non-forest purposes, thus enhancing threat of the forest cover and the wildlife. The loss of forest cover has to be assessed and measures to compensate the loss have to be taken. That is why it is mandatory to seek permission from the Environment ministry on a prescribed proforma. The 12 other roads over which the ministry has raised objections are Upper Bhud to Bhoj Rajpura (4.74 km of which passes through the forest), Upper Bhud to Link Turon (3.73 km passing through the forest), Kambala to Banswala (2.2 km passing through the forest), Bhinwar to Chaniana (2 km road passing through the forest), Bhinwar to Thandog (2 km passing through the forest), Morni Badyal road to Kajar (2 km passing through the forest ), Barisher to Dhan (2 km passing through the forest area) Pinjore-Nalagarh road to Khol Mola, Naulta to Bagharni (4.05 km passing through the forest), Khoi to Dakrog (1.60 km passing through the forest), Kedarpur to Barun (.98 km passing through the forest). The matter was taken up with the Secretary, Forest department, Haryana, two months ago who in turn asked the Public Works department, to answer. In its latest reply to
the ministry, the Engineer-in-Chief of PWD, Haryana,
while denying knowledge of any violation with regard to
the construction of these roads, has said the proposals
had already been submitted to the ministry for clearance.
Officials of the Forest Department, Haryana, said most of
these roads were metalled or widened, hence there was not
much chance of loss of forest cover. They added that the
PWD officials, would, however, be cautioned to take into
consideration all the norms of the Forest Conversation
Act. |
MC staff not paid salary
for 3 months FATEHABAD, Nov 13 — As many as 162 employees working in the local municipal committee have not been paid their monthly salary for the past three months. Though the municipal committee has made an assurance to them that the state government will soon release a grant of Rs 17 lakh for the payment of their salaries, the employees are finding it hard to arrange even frugal meals for their families. These employees include 29 octroi clerks and 18 peons, besides safai karamcharis. The economic condition of the municipal committee has been in doldrums ever since the state government implemented its decision to abolish octroi in the state. As octroi was the single largest source of income of most of the municipal committees in the state the committees are finding it hard to pay the monthly salaries of their employees. The government, it may be recalled, had promised to absorb the employees working for octroi collection in other state government departments but nothing has been done in that direction as yet. The 47-old municipal employees of the local municipal committee who had earlier been working for octroi collection have been running from pillar to post for getting absorbed in some lucrative department. In the absence of their salary they are finding it hard to pay even bus fare to go to Chandigarh to meet politician and senior officers to pursue their cause. The condition of the municipal employees is so bad that even those clerks who were not working on the octroi posts have opted to be absorbed in other departments. A municipal employee
told this correspondent that senior officers of the
municipal committee were equally responsible for the
state of affairs. He said according to rules the money
coming to the committee through grants and the collection
of taxes should first be utilised for the payment of
salaries of the employees. But reportedly the officers
here have been making payments to contractors from the
grants released by the Deputy Commissioner much to the
detriment of the employees. The only hope before these
employees is the promised Rs 17 lakh grant from the state
government. They hope that having been forced to
celebrate a black Divali this year the government will at
least make arrangements to release funds for the payment
of their salaries so that they can feed their children. |
BSF jawans cremated SIRSA, Nov 13 — Jawan Nihal Singh of Kheri village in the district was cremated with full state honours today. The Chief Minister was also present. Mr Nihal Singh, a BSF soldier, laid down his life in Baramula sector fighting terrorists killing four of them. Nihal Singh’s body was brought from Hisar to his native village where it was consigned to the flames by his three-year-old son. Jawan Jaiveer Singh (28) of the BSF, who laid down his life fighting Pakistani troops in Uri on November 10, was cremated with full military and civil honours in his village Babail in Panipat district today. The Union Minister of State for Home, Mr I.D. Swami, Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Garg, Superintendent of Police Manoj Yadav, district BJP president Niti Sain Bhatia and prominent citizens of the district were present. Jaiveer Singh was on duty at "faulad chowki" on the line of control between Uri and Gulmarg when the post was attacked by the enemy. In the attack five soldiers, including a Captain, were killed. The body was brought by
BSF jawans to the village last evening. Jaiveer Singh is
survived by his wife and two daughters. |
Congress to hold rally on Dec 23 JIND, Nov 13 — An important state-level meeting of activists of the Haryana Congress was held here today under the leadership of former minister and MLA, Jagan Nath. It was decided to hold a state-level rally at Jind on December 23 to draw public attention to issues like improvement in the law and order situation, an end to corruption, making water and electricity available to people, remunerative prices of crops to farmers, withdrawal of the hike in the price of diesel etc. The meeting was attended by at least six MLAs, former ministers and legislators and as many as 500 Congress activists, including presidents of seven districts. It was decided at the meeting to invite all senior Congress leaders on a common platform from where the public will be called upon to wage a struggle against the anti-people policies of the Chautala government. It was stated at the meeting that in the recent Lok Sabha elections the BJP and its allies had raised issues for their selfish motives which had endangered national security and weakened the country. The members were of the opinion that BJP and its allies had made false propaganda against the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi. At the meeting, the Congress activists appealed to the senior party leaders to forge unity in the party by forgetting their differences. Later, talking to the Press, former president of the Haryana Congress Birender Singh said the December 23 rally would be a historic one which would be attended by about five lakh people from all over the state. He also said a committee had been formed to make the rally a success under Mr Jagan Nath. Former Union Deputy Minister Jai Parkash would be the convenor of the committee. Mr Birender Singh said a
no-confidence motion would be brought against Mr Om
Prakash Chautala in the coming session in which the false
promises of Mr Chautala would be exposed. |
Haryana ex-MLA's son held for molestation NEW DELHI, Nov 13 (PTI) — A son of a former Haryana MLA and his friend have been arrested by Delhi Police on charges of molesting, assaulting and damaging property in a beauty parlour in west Delhi, the police said today. Rakesh Dewan (30), owner of a restaurant here and son of Mr Devraj Dewan, a former MLA from Rohtak, and his friend Ashish Kohli were arrested after they allegedly molested and abused girls at a beauty parlour, thrashed its owner Shri Bhagwan and damaged some furniture and fixtures yesterday, the police said. The duo reportedly came to the parlour, which has separate sections for men and women, around 4 p.m. and entered the women's section, the police said, adding when one of the girls there objected to their entry and asked them to go to the men's section, the duo allegedly "misbehaved" with her. When the parlour owner tried to resolve the matter he was assaulted by the duo, who then started damaging furniture and fixtures in the parlour, they said. One of the parlour employees informed the police, which reached the spot and arrested them. Rakesh and Kohli also misbehaved with the policemen, the police said. Five cases, including a
case of kidnapping-cum-rape is pending against Rakesh,
while Kohli's antecedents are being probed, added the
police. |
Jats pressure CM for OBC
status ROHTAK, Nov 13 — The All-India Jat Maha Sabha has warned the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, regarding the inclusion of the community in the OBC category failing which it would launch an agitation. Addressing mediapersons here today Mr Naresh Shokhanda, general secretary of the maha sabha said Mr Nagendra Kadian had been appointed president of the Haryana Pradesh Yuva Jat Mahasabha by the maha sabha chief, Mr Dara Singh, with a view to generate a sense of awareness among the youths in this regard. In the first conference of the maha sabha here Mr Shokhanda asked the Chief Minister not to dilly-dally and clarify his stand on the issue. He said the legal sanctity of the Gurnam Singh Commission could not to be questioned and thus any opposition to their demand by some people was illogical. The Jat leader said a
memorandum had already been submitted to the Chief
Minister last week and they would wait for the Chief
Minister's response till the forthcoming Assembly
session. He threatened to launch a joint agitation along
with other communities if the demand was not accepted by
then. |
Held for wife's murder YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 13 — A man has been arrested by the Yamunanagar Sadar police for allegedly killing his wife. According to sources, Gainda Devi, mother of the deceased, lodged a complaint, with the police that her daughter, Santosh who was married to Raghubir Singh of Aurangabad in Yamunanagar 20 years ago and had grown up children, was often tortured for more dowry. She alleged her son-in-law had illicit relations with a relative and wanted his wife out of their way. She said Raghubir Singh and his paramour had strangled her daughter to death. The police has
registered a case under Section 302 and 334, IPC, and
arrested the accused. |
One arrested on murder charge SONEPAT, Nov 13 — The Ganaur police claims to have solved the alleged murder case of Balraj of Kailana village whose body was recovered from the JLN canal near Kasandi village. Mr K. P. Singh, SSP told media-persons here today that the youth was reportedly missing from his house since October 27. The police, he said, had arrested Ranjit of Dabbarpur village in this connection. Four other culprits, allegedly involved in the murder were at large. He said during the course of investigations, it was found that Balraj had been shot dead and the culprits had thrown the body into the JLN canal According to the SSP, Mr
Nand Lal, father of the deceased, had lodged a complaint
against Ranjit and alleged that he had come to his house
and taken away his son with him on the pretext that he
would return after making a telephone call. |
3 dead in jeep, truck collision SONEPAT, Nov 13 — Three persons were killed on the spot and at least 10 were injured, five of them seriously, in a head on collision between a truck and a jeep on the Panipat-Gohana road near Sainipura village, 40 km from here, yesterday. According to preliminary reports, the accident occurred around 7.30 p.m. when the jeep, carrying passengers, was on its way to Panipat from Gohana. The driver of the truck escaped after the accident. The police has registered a case against the driver of the truck on the charge of rash and negligent driving and killing three persons. The truck has however, been impounded. Two of the three victims
were workers of a brick kiln near Gohana and the third
belonged to Devipura locality of Gohana town. |
2 women killed in mishap AMBALA, Nov 13 — Two women were killed and one person seriously injured in an accident on the Ambala-Jagadhri road near Markande bridge, 2 km from here, this evening. According to the police, Paramjit Kaur and Swaranjit Kaur died when the motor cycle on which they were pillion-riding collided with a Maruti car. The scooterist Paramjit Singh, who sustained serious injuries, was admitted to the local Civil Hospital. The police has
registered a case against the car driver. |
Medicare scheme for Haryana poor CHANDIGARH, Nov 13 — The Haryana Government has decided to set up an illness assistance fund (Haryana Arogya Kosh) to provide free treatment to the poor suffering from serious illness. According to an official press note the Central Government has provided Rs two crore as the initial amount for effective implementation of the welfare scheme. The scheme which will be managed as a state-level society, will raise resources to assist those patients who are not able to undergo specialised treatment for life-threatening diseases. It will also maintain contact with the health and other functionaries concerned in the districts like dispensaries, primary health centres, mobile units and hospitals for providing better medicare. The eight-member governing body of the Arogya Kosh will be headed by the Health Minister and the Director General of Health Services will be its member Secretary. The Chief Secretary Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Health, Special Secretary, Finance Secretary of Social Welfare department, Director, Ayurveda and Director of PGIMS, Rohtak, will be the other members. The Arogya Kosh will
also undertake health education activities by preparing
and distributing publicity material. |
Degree courses in polytechnics
‘soon’ AMBALA, Nov 13 — Degree courses will be introduced in some polytechnic institutions in the state. This was stated by Ms Meenakshi Bansal, Director, Technical Education, Haryana, here yesterday. Talking to mediapersons she said the department had also been considering introducing new trades in the 12 polytechnics. Ms Bansal said most of the polytechnics were being modernised with the help of the World Bank. She said computer training facilities had also been provided in these polytechnics. Teachers for this purpose would be imparted training by HARTRON. She said Rs 15 crore had
been spent on each of the polytechnics in Utawar,
Narnaul, Hisar and Faridabad. |
36 warehouses planned CHANDIGARH, Nov 13 — The Haryana Warehousing Corporation has formulated an ambitious plan to construct warehouses having storage capacity of 1.64 lakh metric tonnes at 36 places in the current year. According to a press note, warehouses having a storage capacity of 78,500 metric tonnes were already under construction. The Chairman of the
Board of Directors of the Warehousing Corporation, Mr
Niranjan Kumar Bansal, said the construction work on the
Inland Container Depot at Rewari was progressing well and
was likely to be commissioned next year. The corporation
had also launched a ‘Kisan sahara scheme’ to
provide loans to farmers against their goods deposited in
warehouses. |
Power cut withdrawn ROHTAK, Nov 13 — (UNI) — The Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HYPN) has announced the withdrawal of power cuts in the domestic and non-domestic (commercial) sectors with immediate effect following an improvement in the electricity position. According to an official press note here today, the consumers in these categories would now get 24-hour electricity supply. The existing peak-load
restrictions from 6 pm to 10 pm have been changed and
would now from 5.30 pm to 9 pm. |
Bus passengers looted FARIDABAD, Nov 13 — One person was killed and three were seriously injured, when a group of criminals stated to be of a "kachha banian" gang attacked a house in Pali last night. The dead has been identified as Brahma Singh (60), who succumbed to his injuries in a local private hospital this morning. In another incident,
passengers of a UP Roadways bus bound for Delhi were
looted at revolver point near Danchari village. The
conductor of the bus was also deprived of cash. |
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