 |
| Monday, January 3, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
|
CPI rules out tie-up with Congress Ramvir INLD nominee for Pataudi A halfway house Non-functional traffic lights |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
BJP to discuss centre issue with CM No discrimination in development works: CM CBI probe sought into sprinkler deal Cong not a challenge, says Chautala CM: Iftaar parties not motivated Chemists observe strike Sugar mills' workers threaten stir Oil carriage services suspended Reservation sought in Assembly
|
10 of family killed as car, oil tanker collide HISAR, Jan 2 — Ten persons of a family were killed in an accident, when the Maruti van they were travelling in collided, head on, with an oil tanker in the morning hours. The deceased include four women and two children also. The accident occurred 3 km from here. According to the police the accident occurred at 9 a.m. in the morning. Dense fog, which engulfed the region for past some days led to the accident. The police sources, quoting some injured, said the Maruti Van DL-2CA-0487 was returning from Agroha while the oil tanker HR-39-0557 was going towards Sirsa. Due to poor visibility, the two vehicles collided head on. Seven persons were killed on the spot, while three others breathed their last in the hospital. All bodies have been kept in the local civil hospital. Identity of the deceased could not be ascertained. One of the injured, Laxmi, is said to belong to Sultanpuri in Delhi. The driver of the Maruti van Kailash of Phagarhi, in Delhi was also killed in the accident. Police sources said they had managed to establish contact with the relatives of the deceased in Delhi. The family had gone to Agroha Dham for celebrating the new year and had started its return journey to Delhi at 9 in the morning. The driver of the oil tanker Ashok Kumar was also injured in the accident. He reportedly told the police, despite heavy fog and poor visibility, the Maruti van was moving without headlights. This is the third accident in the area during the last one week, since fog engulfed the area. Eight persons were killer in two separate accidents recently. Today was the eighth day of the fog in the region. The dense fog remains till 12 in the noon, making the traffic movement quite difficult. The police and the district administration have cautioned all the motorists to avoid driving during the fog. The timings in the offices have also been changed, as the fog clears late in the morning. Most of the schools are already closed. The temerature has also come down and the area is in the grip of severe cold wave. |
CPI rules out tie-up with Congress PANIPAT, Jan 2 — The general secretary of the Communist Party of India, Mr A.B. Bardhan, today said the CPI, the CPM and other secular forces in Haryana would join hands to counter the BJP-INLD combine in the coming Vidhan Sabha poll in the state. Talking to mediapersons after attending a party meeting here, Mr Bardhan said the CPI had asked its district committees in the state to identify assembly constituencies for putting up candidates. He ruled out the possibility of electoral tie-up with the Congress despite the fact that the CPI had supported that party in Haryana in the 1999 Lok Sabha poll. Mr Bardhan said the CPI would highlight the "misrule" of the Chautala government, the BJP, the Congress and the HVP over the years. Accusing these parties of "looting" the resources of the state and making "false" promises, Mr Bardhan said their populist schemes were launched just to keep themselves in power. Criticising the "khula darbar" programme started by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Mr Bardhan said the Chief Minister was merely appeasing the people by announcing the upgradation of blocks to tehsils and tehsils to subdivisions rather than paying attention to real issues like the SYL canal and growing unemployment. Mr Bardhan said though it was a matter of great satisfaction that the IA plane hostages had finally been released, the way the government handled the crisis had harmed the country’s image. Demanding a probe into the tactical errors which led to the deepening of the crisis, Mr Bardhan said it was quite surprising that the External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, did not go to Kandahar for negotiating with the hijackers but accompanied the three freed militants there. The CPI general secretary was of the view that the handling of the hijacking crisis would have serious implications with regard to terrorism in Kashmir. Mr Bardhan opposed direct foreign investment in retail trade as it would prove to be a big setback to local traders. Quoting an example, he said already a multinational company owning department stores was planning to open outlets in Delhi and other cities. This would give a big blow to local shopkeepers. He said he had urged the Prime Minister to intervene in the matter. |
Ramvir INLD nominee for Pataudi PATAUDI (Gurgaon), Jan 2 — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala today, for the first time, said he dissolved the State Assembly and recommended for a fresh election in the state with a view to installing a government "of the choice of the people". Addressing a gathering on the occasion of "Sarkar Aapke Dwar" programme in the Pataudi assembly constituency, Mr Chautala said that he had formed a government with the help of defections against his conscience. "I had done it as you had wanted me to do so. It was also to prove that I could form a government with the help of splinter groups and other political parties", he said, and added that there was no difficulty for him to dislodge the unwanted party and provide an alternative to it to fulfil the wishes of the people. Sounding a note of caution to those concerned, he asserted that he had also made it clear that he was capable to make them "eat the dust", who tried to be street smart with him in politics. He, however, did not dwell on the theme. He said even though the present set up of the government was not to his liking, he had run the administration in an efficient manner." This is just a trailor. You can imagine what the government after the ensuing election would be like", he said. He also made it known that he was sanguine that he would be again the Chief Minister after the Assembly elections. According to observers,Mr Chautala’s utterances have left all, including the BJP with which his party was negotiating for sharing of seats, groping in the dark. Mr Chautala,also the chief of the INLD, announced the candidature of Mr Ramvir Singh as his party nominee for the Pataudui (reserve) seat. He chided critics of the old age pension scheme. He said the delay in disbursing the pension for the months of November and December was on account of the re-survey of including new beneficiaries in the scheme. The amount would be paid by the end of this week. Also, the government had removed the condition of land holding to be beneficiaries of the scheme, beside doubling the amount, he added. Mr Chautala announced upgrading Farukh Nagar block to the status of a sub-tehsil. He also sanctioned a boosting station at a cost of Rs 12.50 lakh and Rs 1.10 crore for sewerage system and water supply for Farukh Nagar town. The other major announcements made by him were construction of a housing board colony, bus stand, bye pass, boundary wall and a shed for the cremation ground in Pataudi town. Also, he sanctioned Rs 10 lakh for the local Municipal Council, beside Rs 65 lakh for setting up of a boosting station for augumentation of water supply in the town. Earlier,he unveiled a statute of martyr Azad Singh at Mumtazpur village. Later at the Taoru constituency at an open durbar,the Chief Minister announced the upgradation of Taoru sub-tehsil to the level of tehsil. He also ordered the suspension of an Sub Divisional Officer of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) for the alleged dereliction of duties.He also accorded approval for setting up of a 66 KV substation at Taoru. The Chief Minister is also scheduled to preside over the "Sarkar Aapke Dwar" programme in Sohna. |
A halfway house SIRSA: A regional centre of Kurukshetra University was announced in 1990 by Mr Om Prakash Chautala at a public function. The Panchayat of Phoolkan village offered 105 acres for the centre. The centre was to be set up 10 km away from the city and 2 km from the National Highway (No 10). The foundation stone was laid by the then Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University. He promised completion of the project by March 31, 1999, starting six professional courses and M.Com and MA in six subjects. Classes for the Law and B.Ed started in a section of the building of the local Government National College. These classes were discontinued reportedly due to political apathy. Former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal announced regional centres for Sirsa and Hisar. The centre at Hisar took off speedily as Kurukshetra University allotted liberal funds. Later Mr Bhajan Lal converted the centre into Guru Jhambeshwar University for technical and management studies. The fate of Sirsa Regional Centre along with all institutions of higher education at Jind, Bhiwani and Sirsa affiliated to Guru Jhambeshwar University became uncertain. Consequently classes of the Law and B.Ed were discontinued. Kurukshetra University stopped the construction of the centre after spending a crore on the building. Mr Chautala during his recent tour of the district has reiterated the promise of re-starting work on the regional centre. |
Non-functional traffic lights PANIPAT: Traffic lights have been installed at the main crossing on the national highway No 1 passing through the city at the Assandh Road and the GT Road crossings. Traffic lights fixed at both prominent crossings on the national highway No 1 and various other crossings in the city have not been functioning properly for the past many years. Traffic on this main road has increased manifold but no effective steps have so far been taken towards the maintenance of these lights. Being on the national highway, Panipat registers the maximum movement of VVIPs and VIPs from Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir to New Delhi and vice versa. The Delhi-Lahore bus service also passes through the same Lal Batti chowk. Traffic policemen manage the show at the chowk and arrange smooth flow of VIP movement through the district. In Panipat district, proper maintenance of traffic lights is absent. Electricity poles are there but there is no current and even bulbs are not seen at prominent places like Lal Batti chowk, Gohana chowk. Police parties are available only when VIPs pass through the city. Otherwise, Home Guards are posted at these chowks but drivers normally do not follow their signals and move on, resulting in traffic jams and accidents. The absence of proper lighting arrangements on the main road is also cause of concern to small manual operators, particularly rickshaw-pullars. The police is unable to control traffic under such chaotic conditions, leading to traffic jams and accidents. Right from morning till evening, the city faces traffic jams as constables manning the crossings are not authorised to challan the defaulters. Internal lanes in most of the colonies in the city are full of potholes and serve as death-traps for two-wheeler drivers and rickshaw-pullers, especially at night. At present the population of this city is around seven lakh. No proper guidance is given to the public to drive in their lanes. The Lion's Club, the Rotary Club and other social organisations should come forward to assist the traffic police to create road sense among drivers. A traffic management week should also be arranged for the purpose. |
BJP to discuss centre issue with CM AMBALA, Jan 2 — The BJP, Haryana, will take up the issue of shifting of Saha Growth Centre with the Chief Minister. This was stated by Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, National Secretary of the BJP and MP from Ambala, here today. The matter would also be raised in the Lok Sabha, he added. Talking to mediapersons, he said seats adjustment in Haryana between the BJP and the INLD for the forthcoming Assembly elections had almost been finalised. He said his party had been contesting mostly on urban seats so far but now it had decided to contest some rural seats too. Mr Kataria said that during the last Lok Sabha session he had raised the issue of thermal power plant of Yamuna Nagar and the problems of SSI units of the state. He said that he had also urged the union government to establish a Doordarshan Kendra at Ambala. |
No discrimination in development works: CM SONEPAT, Jan 2 — Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has cautioned people against possible attempts of the Congress for coming into power again in the state and appealed to them to foil such attempts and teach it the lesson for siding with the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) government headed by Mr Bansi Lal. Addressing a gathering before the holding of an open darbar under the programme "sarkar aapke dwar" here last evening, he said corruption had been rampant luring the regime of the Congress and the HVP and no work had been done without illegal gratification. Referring to the seat-sharing with the BJP in the forthcoming assembly elections, he said there were no differences between the INLD and the BJP over this issue and both the parties would contest the assembly elections jointly to give a crushing defeat to the Congress and the HVP. He ridiculed the allegations of the Opposition about discrimination in the development works being carried out in different areas and said that the entire state was equal for him so far development works were concerned. He also announced that encroachments on public lands in the urban and rural areas would be removed. Earlier, Mr Chautala heard grievances of the people of the Rohtat assembly constituency at an open darbar held at Kharkhauda town, 19 km from here yesterday. He announced that the government would take over the Girls' College of Kharkhauda soon to promote girls' education in the area. Accepting other demands of 54 gram panchayats, he announced the setting up of the primary health centres at Sisana and Bidhlan villages. He also granted approval for the construction of a veterinary hospital at Ferozpur Bangar village. |
CBI probe sought into sprinkler deal ROHTAK, Jan 2 — The Haryana unit president of the Rashtriya Lok Dal and a former MLA, Mr Balbir Singh Grewal, has demanded a CBI probe into the purchase of irrigation sprinkler sets by the state government. In a statement issued here today Mr Grewal claimed that the sprinkler sets had been purchased at higher rates. He said the purchase order had been issued for Rs 34,000 to Rs 36,000 per piece, while the Haryana Agro Industries offered such a set at Rs 24,000 only. He said a high-powered committee had been set up for making the purchase. The committee had not been taken into confidence by the Chief Minister’s office while deciding on the sprinklers. The Chief Minister also held the charge of the Agriculture Department. He said farmers who had got Rs 7,000 as subsidy for sprinklers would have to pay between Rs 10,000 and 12,000 more. He said the government had approved the purchase of aluminium sprinkler sets at Rs 46,000 to Rs 50,000 instead of Rs 42,000 quoted by the state corporation. Mr Grewal said a meeting of certain influential persons and representatives of some private companies was held at a five-star hotel in Delhi to finalise the deal. Mr Grewal has asked the Governor to intervene and order a CBI probe, immediately. |
Cong not a challenge, says Chautala NAGINA (Mewat), Jan 2 — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today said the only way to tackle the nefarious designs of forces against the country was to strengthen the traditional bonds of amity and brotherhood. Addressing a gathering here at Badhkali Chowk in connection with an "iftaar" party hosted by him, Mr Chautala said an occasion like this provided an opportunity to members of all communities to share their views on issues pertaining to the country. Later, talking to newsmen, he said he did not consider the Congress as a challenge to his Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in the ensuing assembly elections in the state. "My aim is to root out the Congress from the state", he said. In response to a specific question, he said there were no differences between the INLD and the BJP on the elections. The sharing of seats would be only on the basis of the winning prospects of the candidates of two parties. He said the Mewat area had been neglected by the state government for the past eight years. |
CM: Iftaar parties not motivated BADKALI CHOWK (Gurgaon), Jan 2 (PTI) — Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala today said the Iftaar parties being hosted by him were not "politically motivated" but aimed at fostering national integration. Speaking at an Iftaar party here this evening, he said God has created all persons equal and we should rise above narrow considerations of caste, colour and creed. He said such parties foster national integration as members belonging to different communities attended these. Jammu and Kashmir Industries and Commerce Minister Mustafa Kamal said all communities in the country were united and would not tolerate any activity against the interest of the nation. He said Pakistan would not succeed in its designs aimed at weakening India and criticised the neighbouring country for exploiting the religious sentiments of the people. Maulana Abdul Sattar Kazmi, a scholar, spoke on the teachings of Islam. |
Chemists observe strike JIND, Jan 2 — Chemists of Jind town yesterday observed a strike in protest against the arrest of two local chemists. The chemists were arrested for being rowdy in a restaurant near here at a New Year eve function. According to a report, certain merry-makers turned rowdy at the Goldren Hut Resort restaurant after taking alcohol. Policemen on duty intervened. This led to an altercation between the merry-makers and the policemen. A case under Sections 353, 186, 147, 149 and 506 of the IPC against seven persons, including three chemists, was registered. Two chemists were arrested yesterday. The chemists’ association has demanded the withdrawal of cases against the chemists. The association has held out a threat of starting an indefinite strike if the case registered against the chemists was not withdrawn. A deputation of the association met the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police in this connection |
Oil carriage services suspended AMBALA, Jan 2 (UNI) — Oil carriage services through tankers were suspended from yesterday after the tanker operators refused to carry oil from the depots of four public sector oil corporations, stationed at Ambala cantonment on new terms and conditions. The Haryana Tankers Operators Association (HTOA) President Ranjit Singh Chauhan said that the new terms and conditions introduced by the authorities of corporations were very harsh. He claimed that with the result, no contractor had came forward to offer bid. Having lost hope of practical approach by the oil corporation authorities, the HTOA had decided to suspended its carriage services for three days. |
Reservation sought in Assembly AMBALA, Jan 2 — The Sarb Hind Akali Dal has demanded that there should be reservation of seats for the Sikh community in the Assembly and parliamentary Constituencies according to their voting strength, especially in Haryana, Punjab, Hamachal, Rajasthan, UP and Delhi. Mr Kartar Singh Takkar, Organising Secretary of the SHSAD, said here in a press statement that a resolution in this regard was passed at the Akali conference held in Asandh (Haryana) yesterday. He demanded that the SGPC members elected from Kurukshetra should be included in the Kurukshetra Vikas Board. |
Sugar mills' workers threaten stir PANIPAT, Jan 2 — The Haryana Sugar Mill Workers Federation has threatened to go on strike from January 6, if its five demands were not accepted by the sugar mills' authorities. This decision was taken at a meeting of the federation's office-bearers yesterday. According to Mr Rajender Singh, state coordinator of the federation, gate meetings were being organised at all sugar mills of the state in support of the demands. The demands included regularisation of daily wages employees, abolition of the contract system, promotion of the employees working on upgraded post for the past 10 years and employment to wards of deceased employees. He said if its demands were not accepted, the federation would organise a state level rally at Chandigarh on January 6 to protest against the indifferent attitude of the authorities towards the employees' legitimate demands. |
Overbridge needed across rail track FARIDABAD, Jan 2 — The authorities do not seem to be moved by the number of people killed while crossing the railway track from Ballabhgarh to the old Faridabad stations every year. In 1999 more than 180 persons were killed by trains while crossing the railway track against 144 during the preceding year. The indifferent attitude of both the railway authorities and the state government is evident from the fact that no overbridge or subway has been constructed to enable the people living on both sides of the track to cross the railway lines. The high number of deaths is also attributed to the negligence of the people living in jhuggis in the area. The railway authorities are also to be blamed because they change the number of platform a few minutes before the arrival of the train. In a hurry the passengers cross the rail track instead of using the overbridge. In the process, they are runover by the other trains passing through the town. |
BSF jawan cremated with honours ROHTAK, Jan 2 — Sepoy Sadhu Ram of the Border Security Force, who died fighting militants in Sopore town on December 31, was cremated at his native village of Kiloi with police honours. Sadhu Ram, 30, was among the BSF jawans who were attacked by militants near the State Bank of India branch. The jawans returned the fire. Sadhu Ram got a bullet injury. He is survived by his wife Saroj Devi, and a five-month old son. His younger brother lit the pyre as contingents of the BSF and the Haryana police reversed their arms. Capt Inder Singh, MP, Shri Kishan Hooda, MLA, Balwant Singh Maina, Chairman, Agriculture Marketing, Board, R.K. Khullar, Deputy Commissioner Satish Katyal. SDM, Capt V.P. Dahiya Secretary Sainik Board and a large of residents paid homage to the martyr. |
Teachers plan R-Day as ‘black day’ SIRSA, Jan 2 — Ad hoc teachers in Haryana will observe Republic Day as a "black day". This was announced by Mr Jawahar Lal Goyal, president of the Haryana Ad hoc Teachers Union, at a state-level rally here today. Mr Goyal said the Chief Minister had gone back on his word regarding the teachers' demands. They would ensure his electoral defeat by sending 2,000 members of the union to campaign against him. |
 | | Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | In Spotlight | 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 119 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
