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| Sunday, May 21, 2000, Chandigarh, India  
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Chautalas
campaign in Rori Tax devolution Bill upsets Haryana Ransacking case: 10 suspects get
judicial custody
Two more
‘jaundice’ deaths reported Partner strangled Meena: police |
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5 unnatural death in
Faridabad dist 70,000 farmers get passbooks HVPN gets power from HPSEB Farmers asked to send consent GB Syndrome treatment at Rohtak Criminal arrested
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Chautalas campaign in Rori SIRSA, May 20 — As the Rori bye-election is drawing near political leaders are trying to woo the voters by making tall promises. Both the sons of the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Mr Ajay Singh, MP from Bhiwani and Mr Abhey Singh, the INLD candidate for Rori, are busy in the election campaign. They have covered the entire constituency. The Congress candidate, Mahant Baldev Dass is facing great hardship because the political bigwigs of Congress are avoiding to join his campaign. Mr Abhey Chautala is ahead of the Congress candidate as far as mass contact is concerned. A number of senior Congress workers are daily joining the INLD. Recently the Congress party organised a meeting at Congress Bhavan here. The HPCC President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, General Secretary, Mr Moti Lal Vora, former Union Minister, Ms Selja, MLA from Sirsa, Mr Lachhman Dass Arora were among the prominent participants. These leaders left for Sikanderpur to have lunch. They predicted that the Chautala government would not survive for more than a month, but did not dare to enter the Rori constituency. The Congress workers felt disillusioned. They accused the State Congress leadership for not doing anything concrete to stop the party workers from changing their loyalties. Mr Abhey Singh has the advantage of being a candidate of the ruling party and also the grandson of former Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Devi Lal, who is held in great esteem by the farming community here. Though Mr Abhey Singh is time and again assured of victory by Rori voters, yet he is devoting enough time to the campaign. Mr Abhey Chautala in his speeches today criticised the Congress leaders for making allegations of the violation of the election code of conduct, without visiting even a single village of Rori. The Congress leaders were making baseless allegations sitting in air-conditioned rooms in Chandigarh, he said. Mr Ajay Chautala called upon the people to forget their differences, develop ‘brotherhood’ and vote for the INLD candidate for the development of the area. He also recounted various development schemes of the government. On the contrary Congress leaders Mr Jagdish Nehra and Mr Ranjit Singh in their public addresses termed the Chautala government as anti-farmer and anti-poor. They said Mr Chautala has no faith in democracy. The law and order situation in the State has been deteriorating day-by-day. They urged the people to vote for the Congress candidate to halt the dictatorial rule of Mr Chautala. Mahant Baldev Dass said the people should vote for the Congress as they had voted for the INLD last time and been ‘ditched’. The BSP suffered a jolt as their youth wing state Vice-President, Mr Ranbir Singh, joined the INLD. Announcing this at Suba Khera village in the Rori constituency, Mr Ranbir Singh praised the INLD. Meanwhile, Additional
Commissioner Customs and Central Excise, Pune, Mr R.K.
Jain, has reached Sirsa as an expenditure observer.
Another election observer Mr Hem Panday, an IAS officer
and Director in the Ministry of Mines and Minerals, is
expected to reach here. These two officers have been
deputed by the Election Commission to supervise the Rori
bye-election. |
Tax devolution Bill upsets
Haryana CHANDIGARH, May 20 — The 89th Constitution Amendment Bill devolving 29 per cent of the central taxes to states, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha last Tuesday, has failed to satisfy the Haryana Government. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on May 9. Official sources here said problems cropped up as the nomenclature of the Bill was changed from gross to net, which, sources here claimed, was against the spirit of the recommendation on devolution of central taxes made by the Finance Commission. Under the existing system Haryana used to get 26 per cent share on gross proceeds of central taxes which used to cover infrastructural expenses, expenses on litigations and so on. The sources said following the new formulation, there would only be a marginal increase in the state’s receipts from the central taxes. The exact increase in the receipts for Haryana following this revision was still being worked out, the sources added. The tentative figure of arrears to be received by Haryana on account of this new legislation had been worked out to be about Rs 100 crore, the sources informed. The new Bill, it may be mentioned, has made all taxes divisible, including Customs Duty, corporate tax and others which had been, so far, exclusive domain of the central government. Nevertheless, Haryana Government officials here say the increase in the state’s receipts will not be to the extent of what it has been expecting. The sources pointed out that when 11th Finance Commission members visited Chandigarh some time ago, the state government urged them to increase gradually the share of the states to 50 per cent of the receipts from gross proceeds of the central taxes. The sources also added that Haryana was not the only state to feel disappointed with the new legislation. Even Kerala to had objected, the sources said while adding that Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha was also acutely aware of the problem as he stated in the Rajya Sabha that he would like to assure the House that the reduction in the devolution would be made good by the Centre by releasing extra amount to the states. The sources said Haryana would express its reservation with the devolution Bill in the Inter-state Council meeting scheduled to take place in Delhi tomorrow. Finance Minister Sampat Singh, Mr R.S. Verma, Chief Secretary, Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, and Mr A.N. Mathur will take part in tomorrow’s meeting to put across Haryana’s views, the sources said. Officials here, however, are expecting that the Prime Minister, who is slated to address the council meeting, will make some announcement regarding compensation to the states. The issue will also figure at the meeting of Finance Ministers of the states, to be held at Delhi on May 22, in which the Haryana Finance Minister will take part. It may be recalled that
Mr Sampat Singh, while presenting the Budget in the
Assembly in last March, had particularly emphasised this
point about the proposed increase in the states’
share of central taxes, which, he felt would boost
Haryana’s depleted coffers. Consequently, the change
in nomenclature of the Bill is believed to have come as
crushing blow to the Finance Minister. However, the
Opposition Congress party is unlikely to capitalise on
the issue as it too supported the Bill in Parliament. |
Ransacking case: 10 suspects get
judicial custody HISAR, May 20 — An uneasy calm prevailed in Balsmand village near here today following the ransacking of a police post there on Friday night by a mob which freed a notorious gangster from police custody. Top police brass and other senior officers continued to camp in the village to maintain law and order. A few shops opened today and traffic plied normally. But private schools were closed for the second day today. The 10 persons in connection with the attack of the post late last evening were produced before a duty magistrate around 2.30 a.m. this morning who send them to judicial custody. Two of them Jaivir Singh and Raghbir Singh were admitted to the local Civil Hospital after they complained of uneasiness. Others who were sent to jail were: Ram Partap, Rajinder Singh, Satbir Singh, Bhag Singh, Chhaju Ram, Jagdish and Bhagirath. The police is still looking for about a dozen more persons named in the FIR. They are: Jagdish, Surinder, Jia Lal, Mahavir I, Mahavir II, Jaswant Dhanda, Middhu, Hans Raj, Dalbir, Rajesh, Satyavan, Guddu, Sube Singh, Prem, Baljit and Subhash. The gangster Subhash who was freed by the mob is still absconding. According to the police, he is wanted in connection with several cases of attempted murder, looting and dacoity. He had been active in the area for the past three years after he deserted the Army in 1997. Police officers camping
in the village denied that the villagers were being
harassed. They said while innocents need not harbour any
fears, but the guilty would not be spared. Mr Mani Ram
Bagri, a former MP, also visited the village this morning
and asked the police not to terrorise the innocent. |
Train driver who is
award-winning poet AMBALA, May 20 — He is a train driver by profession and a poet by choice. Meet Shiv Kumar Gautam, currently posted in the Ambala Division, as engine driver who writes poetry in his spare time. Gautam writes poetry in Hindi on a variety of contemporary subjects. His book Angaron ke Aage has been the subject of research by an M.Phil student of Kurukshetra University. Despite all this, Gautam prefers to maintain a low-key image and lets his poetry do the talking. He was conferred upon the Maithili Sharan Gupta award by the Railway Ministry last year for his book of poetry. In an interview with The Tribune, Shiv Kumar Gautam, said that the poetry bug bit him when he was studying in the final year of BA. "I did my BA from Pachod in Madhya Pradesh and have been regularly writing poetry since then. In 1977, I started working as fireman Grade A and in 1995, I became an engine driver," he said. "Right now, I am working as a goods train driver with the Ambala Division of Northern Railway. When I am driving, I have to concentrate on the job and cannot think of poetry. But when I reach the destination, my colleagues request me to recite poetry. It is then that I recite poetry," he said. Gautam is working on his next book. "I take time to write poetry and I try to make it very simple so that the common man can enjoy it. My effort is to connect with the people as poetry should be for the masses. You will find that I have written poetry on current issues," he says with humility. The train driver-cum-poet said that the best time for writing poetry is after duty hours. "I write poetry to unwind. I also study literature a lot. It is sad that these days young people are not spending time on studying the rich literature of our country," he said. Gautam stated that B. Bharadwaj, an M.Phil student of Kurukshetra University, has done research on his book Angaron Ke Aage. "Apparently, he was interested in my work and he completed his research on my book last year," he said. He pointed out that his best moments have been meeting stalwarts like Badshah Khan, Vijay Laxmi Pandit and Manna Dey, who incidentally, is his favourite singer. "I enjoy meeting such people because they have left an impact on our lives," he said. When asked about several songs written and picturised on trains, Gautam laughs and says that when he is working, no such thing crosses his mind. Poetry is his passion and he spends hours on it. His profession of being a train driver is a tiring one but he is rejuvenated when he sits down to pen his thoughts. Gautam is hopeful that
he will soon graduate to passenger trains and then
passengers will have the privilege of having an engine
driver who is a poet. |
Two more
‘jaundice’ deaths reported ROHTAK, May 20 — Jaundice, which has affected hundreds of persons in the district has started taking its toll. Two persons, including a minor boy, have reportedly died due to jaundice in the last 48 hours. So far atleast three persons have died, in the district due to jaundice. The district authorities has announced a number of measures after receiving reports that the town and the nearby areas were in the grip of jaundice and gastro-enteritis. According to reports the supply of contaminated drinking water and sale of uncovered food items were the main reason for the spread of these diseases. According to reports a minor boy, identified as Chetan Sharma, a resident of Gandhi Nagar here died allegedly due to jaundice in Delhi yesterday. Chetan, son of Mr Sunder Lal Sharma, had been admitted to the PGIMS Hospital here, but was later shifted to a clinic in Delhi recently. But he died on Thursday night after putting up a fight for nine days. Meanwhile Umed Singh, another victim of the disease and a resident of the town, about 25 km from here, died at a private clinic yesterday. Earlier, Ram Khilari had died reportedly due to jaundice about a month ago. According to a resident of Sampla town the supply of drinking water had been "contaminated" due to various problems. According to reports the number of persons affected by water-borne diseases including jaundice, had gone up in the town and rural parts. The Deputy Commissioner
had, earlier, set up special committee to deal with the
situation. The entire Public Health Department had been
on the toes and recently the officials were asked to
replace the old, rusted and worn out water pipes in the
town and nearby areas. The campaign known as
"anti-jaundice campaign" had been supervised by
the Deputy Commissioner himself. The health authorities
have, however, not "confirmed" these deaths as
yet. |
Partner strangled Meena: police KURUKSHETRA, May 20 — Following the arrest of Joginder, alias Bobby (26), the mystery surrounding the murder of Meena (35) at her residence near Tara Chand Dharamshala here on May 17 last has been solved. Stating this here today, the district police chief, Mr Desraj Singh said that Joginder, son of a barber, was Meena’s neighbour and a partner in running kitties. Bobby told the police that he knew that Meena possessed money of the kitty committee when he went to her residence. He painted Meena’s old refrigerator at around 10.30 am. He offered to help Meena to knit the folding cot with the nylon string bundle lying there. He strangled Meena to death with the nylon string. Joginder told the police that after strangled Meena to death, he scattered rudraksh beads near the body. He had brought the beads with him, in order to give an impression that Meena might have been strangled by a Sadhu. Bobby ransacked the bedroom and decamped with a cash of Rs 3500 as well as jewellery, including ear-rings a ring and a neckless which he removed from the body. To settle an old score
with Ramesh, Bobby was planning to plant the stolen
jewellery at Ramesh’s place. |
5 unnatural death in
Faridabad dist FARIDABAD, May 20 — Five unnatural deaths were reported from various parts of the district, according to information here. The bodies of a 25-year-old woman and a six-year-old girl with deep cuts in the throat were found near the railway track in Ballabhgarh. They have not yet been identified. It is stated that they have been murdered. Maya (35) was buried
alive in the Pali Crusher Zone while digging a pit. Anita
of Amarpur village died after consuming poisonous
substance by mistake. In another incident Raju of Palwal
allegedly committed suicide. |
70,000 farmers get passbooks CHANDIGARH, May 20 — More than 70,000 multipurpose kisan passbooks have been issued to the farmers in the State so far with a view to enabling them to raise loans from financial institutions and for maintaining up-to-date land records. While stating this here yesterday, Mr Dhirpal Singh, Revenue Minister, Haryana, said the main aim of issuing these passbooks to the farmers was to end the dependence of the farmers on patwaris for the records of their lands and to enable them to ascertain the actual position of their holdings. The minister added that
more than 15 lakh kisan passbooks had been printed and
issued to all the districts for distribution among the
farmers. |
HVPN gets power from HPSEB YAMUNANAGAR, May 20 — The Haryana Vidhyut Parsaran Nigam (HVPN) has started getting an additional 10 lakh units of power for the Himachal State Electricity Board (HPSEB). Mr R.S. Nandwani, Superintending Engineer, Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UPHBVN), Yamunanagar circle, informed here today that the HPSEB had started giving 10 lakh units daily to the HVPN through the 220-KV Kunihar-Madanpur transmission line with effect form zero hours of May 18, initially up to May 31. He said this power would
be utilised for feeding Barwala, Shahzadpur, Naraingarh,
Jeolly and Sadhaura 66-KV sub-stations of Yamunanagar
circle. |
Farmers asked to send consent CHANDIGARH, May 20 — The Haryana Government has fixed May 29 as the deadline for farmers (who had submitted applications for tubewell connections on or before December 31 last) to send their consent for the release of new connections under the "tatkal scheme". According to Ms Meenakshi Anand Chaudhary, chairperson of the Haryana power utilities, two categories of connections have been specified under the new scheme. The applicants would be asked to deposit Rs 10,000 if their connections could be released by installing 20-metre cable. The applicants, whose connections will require laying one span LT line up to 70 metres and cable length up to 20 metres, will have to deposit Rs 20,000. Ms Chaudhary said the
applicants would be asked to deposit 50 per cent of the
amount on demand and pay the remaining 50 per cent before
the connection was actually released. |
GB Syndrome treatment at
Rohtak ROHTAK, May 20 — Forty year old Suman, suffering from GB Syndrome, has become the first patient in Haryana to receive plasmapheresis treatment at the Pt B.D. Sharma PGIMS here on Friday. Under the plasmapheresis type of treatment, the blood of the patient suffering from diseases like G.B. Syndrome and glomerulonephritis is circulated through the cell separator to clean it of harmful antibodies. "It is a continuous process, in which blood is taken of from one vein and after passing it through the machine is reinfused through another vein", says. Dr S.B. Siwach, Director, PGIMS. This treatment, he said, was not available anywhere else in Haryana. The medical institutes in neighbouring Delhi, charged Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 to provide one cycle of the plasmapheresis treatment. The state owned PGIMS is the only institute in Haryana which has facility for this type of treatment, Dr Siwach said. The cell separator, was
purchased by the institute about four years ago but it
was not put to use. Dr Siwach said this treatment would
now be available regularly to the patients. |
Criminal arrested JIND, May 20 — The police has arrested Mani Ram near Nagura village in this district on Friday. According to Mr Rajpal Singh, Superintendent of Police, Mani Ram was involved in a number of crimes in Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. The Superintendent of Police said the police had received an information that two armed criminals were staying in a farm house near Nagura village. He said acting on the information a police party raided the farm house. On seeing the police both criminals, Mani Ram and Dalsher fled. He said when the police party chased them they opened fire at the police. He said the police returned the fire injuring Mani Ram. Nabbed Mani Ram was nabbed but his accomplice Dalsher managed to escape. The SP said Mani Ram has
escaped from the police custody by attacking a police
party while he was being taken for investigation in
Himachal Pradesh. |
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