The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

Militant group emerging in HPCC
CHANDIGARH, June 10 - Fed up with the never ending clash between Bhajan Lal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, some of the young Turks of the Congress party in Haryana have decided to take to streets against the Om Prakash Chautala-led Government.

Govt health centres sans power
HISAR, June 10 — Already crippled by poor infrastructure and staff shortages, health services in rural Haryana are now on the verge of collapse with scores of government health centres going powerless due to nor-payment of power bills, it is learnt.

Plea to conserve environment
YAMUNANAGAR, June 10 — Dr K.R. Bhardwaj, president of the Society of Environment Management and Bio-Research (SEMBR), while talking to The Tribune here yesterday said that there was urgent need to provide to people a clear understanding of the major problems arising out of man’s interaction with the environment.

Nirmal Singh to report to Home Secretary
CHANDIGARH, June 10 — Allowing an application filed by Haryana’s Director-General of Police (OSD Rules) Mr Nirmal Singh, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has held that the applicant cannot be ordered to report to the DGP, Mr S.P.S. Rathore.

School Board lists out new provision
BHIWANI, June 10 — The Board of School Education, Haryana, at its meeting here yesterday decided that the students of education boards of other states who had been placed under compartment in class X and class XI examinations would be allowed to take admission in class XI and Class XII in any recognised school of Haryana.

Car driver shot dead
HISAR, June 10 — Bhale Ram Saini, a car driver and a resident of the local Mahabir Colony was shot dead by two unidentified persons near Chaudhariwas village, about 20 km from here. His body was found in the car on the road side yesterday.

Entry of Maxi cabs banned
HISAR, June 10 — The district administration has banned the entry of all Maxi cab vehicles within the limits of the nagar parishad and nagar palikas of the district with immediate effect.

EARLIER STORIES

	Shadow Cabinet meeting held June 10, 2000
	Appointment in IPS ordered June 9, 2000
	Factionalism ails Haryana BJP June 8, 2000
	Imported milk scare leads to milch cattle sale June 7, 2000
	Power arrears: tough time ahead for INLD June 6, 2000
	Justice ‘eludes’ youth June 5, 2000
	Scam in relief, alleges Chautala’s brother June 4, 2000
	Looking for Viagra, come to Haryana June 3, 2000
	Challenges for Chautala after Rori June 2, 2000
	Full-fledged university likely at Sirsa June 1, 2000
	Power sector scenario grim May 31, 2000
	Mobilise own funds, universities told May 30, 2000
	Roll back liberalisation: 4 ex-PMs May 29, 2000
	More names on net likely: CVC May 28, 2000

New taxes 'death-knell' for small industries
From Jatinder Sharma

ROHTAK, June 10 — By imposing new taxes on industries only, the government may kill the goose that is laying the golden eggs, feels the Faridabad Small Industries Association (FSIA).

The FSIA spokesman, Mr Rajiv Chawla, told The Tribune that when the Chautala government declared its new industrial policy last year, industrialists had hoped for better days ahead. But the recent imposition of taxes by the government was contrary to its declared intentions and had belied the hopes of the industry.

Besides imposing the local area development tax, the local bodies have also levied fresh taxes like the fire tax and increased the existing taxes like the house tax and licence fee manifold for the industries.

Elaborating on the introduction of these hard-hitting measures, Mr Chawla said the Haryana Local Area Development Fund would be a serious blow to industries and may spell the doom for future growth. The least the government should have done was to hold this tax in abeyance and convene a meeting with the industries to find justifiable means for the development of local areas.

Pointing out the differences in the recently announced sales-tax rates under the uniform sales-tax policy, Mr Chawla said many plastic goods and packing materials in Haryana had been put in the 12 per cent slab while the tax rate for these items in Delhi was 4 per cent. He urged the authorities to bring the tax rate on par with neighbouring Delhi as is the case with automobiles.

The spokesman said the industries, specially the small and tiny units, were bitter at the decision to lower the limit of HT connection from 70 kw to 50 kw. The decision had suddenly put an additional burden of more than Rs 3 lakh on the affected units.

Mr Chawla said the enforcement of this decision in the congested areas of Faridabad was impractical and had put a high-cost burden on tiny and small industries.

He said the imposition of the local area development tax and other taxes would mean that goods manufactured in Haryana would be costlier by at least 4 per cent as compared to the neighbouring states.

The industrialists, he said, felt that the government by collecting tax on account of these ordinances would lose heavily due to a fall in industrial production. This may also deter entrepreneurs to set up units in Haryana, he added.

Murder case solved; gang busted
From Our Correspondent

KAITHAL, June 10 — The police had solved the sensational murder case in which Ramesh Miglani, alias Rawan, a local commission agent, was shot dead by three armed motor-cycle-borne youths on April 21.

The police today arrested three persons, Rakesh Kumar, son of Mr Hoshiar Singh of Bhawar village in Sonepat district, Mukesh, son of Parkash of Bheron Khera village, and Parminder, son of Satbir of Ludana village, both falling in Jind district.

Giving this information here today, the Superintendent of Police, Mr Prabhat Ranjan Deo, said all accused were members of the Satbir, alias Jhabal, gang who was lodged in Jind jail. He said with the arrest of these three culprits all members of the gang had been arrested. The other members of the gang were already in jail following their involvement in a kidnapping case here.

Giving further details about the murder case, the SP said members of this gang had kidnapped a local businessman, Mr Naresh Batra, in December, 1999, and had released him after receiving Rs 10 lakh as ransom money. The SP further said after the arrest of Satbir and his accomplices and recovery of Rs 6.80 lakh received by them as ransom money, the father-in-law of Mr Batra, Mr Harbans Miglani, received this money from the court. Satbir, who was lodged in Jind jail, directed members of his gang to convey to Mr Harbans Miglani to deliever the money at Jind jail or face the consequences. But the money was not delivered to Satbir or his men. There after, Satbir directed members of his gang to eliminate Mr Harbans Miglani.

According to the police, the gangsters planned the murder of Mr Harbans Miglani and took help from Hoshiar Singh Saini of the Chandana gate locality here to identify their target. But due to mistaken identity they killed Ramesh Miglani.

The SP said a special team headed by CIA Inspector Surinder Singh Malik was formed to nab the culprits involved in the gruesome murder and it raided a number of places, but did not succeed.

Later during a nakabandi Rakesh and Parvinder were arrested near Rajound when they were going on a motor-cycle. On their information, another member of the gang was arrested from the Kabri industrial area in Panipat district today. The motor-cycle used in committing the murder was recovered. The culprits said they had stolen the motor-cycle from outside Jat College, Rohtak. The SP said during interrogation they confessed their involvement in looting of some brick-kilns in Jind district.

The SP has recommended to the DGP, Haryana, to award certificates and cash rewards to the CIA Inspector, Mr Malik, and Sub-Inspector Banwari Lal, who were instrumental in solving this case.

Militant group emerging in HPCC
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 10 - Fed up with the never ending clash between Bhajan Lal and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, some of the young Turks of the Congress party in Haryana have decided to take to streets against the Om Prakash Chautala-led Government.

An important Congress MLA said that they were working to create a core group of 200 people to take on the present regime in the State. Out of the 200 members, 50 would be veteran leaders such as former ministers etc, while the remaining 150 would be recruited from the grassroots level who had good standing in their respective areas. About 50 persons have already been roped in for the core group and exercise for the remaining members is going on in various parts of the State, the MLA said.

The MLA said that while there was no dearth of issues against the INLD Government, they would mainly focus on the disparity between Sirsa district and the rest of Haryana. " Be it water or jobs or funds, Sirsa is given preferential treatment because it is Chief Minister's home district", the MLA said. The MLA said that they were aware that such an issue would alienate people of Sirsa district but added that they felt that this was a potent issue because it could bring together people in the rest of the State.

The first programme of the young Turks of the Congress party, according to the MLA, would be to mobilise 20,000 people and encircle the Assembly at the time of the next session. " We will ask Mr Hooda and Mr Bhajan Lal to join the demonstration. It is up to them what they do", the firebrand Congress legislator said. The MLA said that Randeep Singh Surjewala, who is at present the national president of the Youth Congress, would not be accommodated in the core group of 200 people as he was associated with a Congress faction.

The MLA also clarified that what they would be doing would not lead to the creation of yet another faction in the Congress party. He claimed that by taking to the streets they would strengthen the party and in the process they would force Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Hooda to mend their ways. He said that while majority of the Congress MLAs resented the intense clash between Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Hooda, not all of them were daring enough to come out in the open on the issue. However, about seven MLAs were actively working for formation of the core group to give the party a militant face so that it could return to power in Haryana, he said.

According to the Congress MLA, neither Mr Hooda nor Mr Bhajan Lal deserve to be the leader of the Congress party in the State as both of them are more inclined in safeguarding their respective interests rather than ensuring the success of the party in Haryana. " All those Congress MLAs who had won in the last assembly elections could get elected because of their individual efforts - if a candidate belonged Mr Hooda's camp, Bhajan Lal tried to ensure the nominee's defeat and vice versa", the MLA said.

The MLA said that they had already made a representation to the Congress party's central leadership on the issue of differences between Mr Hooda and Mr Bhajan Lal and how it was harming the interest of the party in Haryana. More such representations would follow, the MLA said.

Govt health centres sans power
From Raman Mohan

HISAR, June 10 — Already crippled by poor infrastructure and staff shortages, health services in rural Haryana are now on the verge of collapse with scores of government health centres going powerless due to nor-payment of power bills, it is learnt.

Health Department sources said power supply to dozens of centres was disconnected recently when the department failed to pay the mounting arrears of power bills. The department foots the power bills out of the allocation for office expenses.

Three of the primary health centres falling under the Mangali Communicy Health Centre in Hisar district have been without power. These are located at Kaimri, Ladwa and Talwandi Rukka villages. These primary health centres have not been able to pay their power bills leading to disconnection. It is learnt that the recent campaign by the Haryana Power Utilities to recover arrears of bills had also resulted in disconnection of power supply to many health centres in the state. Though the exact number is not yet known, the number is stated to be more than 100.

The most serious aspect of the situation is that a number of varieties of vaccines and other lifesaving drugs are kept at these centres under refrigeration. Lack of power has forced health employees to shift these to either homes or the refrigerators of nearby chemists or clinics of registered medical practitioners. At Talwandi Rukka village, these vaccines were shifted to the one-room tenement of the auxiliary nurse and midwife (ANM).

However, the ANM retired from service on June 31. The fate of the vaccines and other medicines stored in her personal refrigerator is not known. The arrears of power bills for this centre had mounted to Rs 25,000 over the years. Finally, the power department disconnected supply to the centre on February 28.

The sources said this could have serious repercussions. They recalled that a few years ago four children had died after they were administered polio vaccines. It had been found that they had developed complications as the vaccines had not been properly stored under refrigeration. After years of probe, disciplinary action was taken against an employee recently.

In addition to this, doctors, patients and other employees have to sweat it out in the sweltering heat in the villages. The problem becomes more acute in the night when they have to depend on candles and kerosene lamps. At many such centres, in case of emergencies many villagers connect the centre to their residential connections. However, this is only a temporary relief since it is illegal and hazardous.

There is little hope of restoration of supply to the affected centres in the absence of funds. For instance, the funds provided under the head office expenses for most of the Health Department offices in Hisar district have been exhausted already. It is learnt that the balance under this head for the local malaria office is Rs 60 only. Inquiries reveal that officials will have to resort to juggling of figures to meet the expenses from other heads for the rest of the current financial year. A similar situation prevails all over the state, the sources said.

With the recent stress of recovery of arrears from both government and private consumers, the department officials do not hesitate to disconnect supply if the reminders have no effect.

It is learnt that medical staff posted at such centres is keen to get themselves transferred to better places. In many cases they have succeeded and as such the centres are now left to the mercy of paramedical staff. Even patients choose to shift to private or government hospitals in nearby towns to avoid discomfort.

Sources said the maintenance of electrical fittings in health centres was already very poor. But now that there was no power supply unscrupulous elements had even removed some of the fittings, including fans, in many centres.

Plea to conserve environment
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, June 10 — Dr K.R. Bhardwaj, president of the Society of Environment Management and Bio-Research (SEMBR), while talking to The Tribune here yesterday said that there was urgent need to provide to people a clear understanding of the major problems arising out of man’s interaction with the environment.

Dr Bhardwaj said strong public opinion should be built through environmental awareness programmes which can protect the environment by putting pressure on the government agencies and NGOs. The Haryana Government had taken the lead in this regard by constituting district environment committees in all districts of the state, he stressed.

Dr Bhardwaj said more awareness and understanding on the part of the people would help in putting a stop to further damage to the life support system. He said committee and concentrated efforts on the part of every individual were needed to ensure our survival. He appealed to people with resources, the authorities and seminarians to make a panel of experts to suggest ways and means to conserve, protect and preserve the environment of the town cities of Yamunanagar and Jagadhri.

He stressed motivating the industrialists to install effluent treatment plants in their units.

He said autorickshaw owners use adulterated fuel and the rickshaws emit poisonous smoke spreading carbon dioxide on the roads. This leads to respiratory problems for people.

Dr Bhardwaj suggested that effluent treatment plants would help clean the environment.

He informed that a seminar was organised at Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Yamunanagar, by the district administration, SEMBR and the Haryana State Pollution Control Board to mark World Environment Day on June 5.

He advised the government and non-government organisations to make joint efforts towards environment education among the youth and masses of the country.

Dr Bhardwaj said congress grass should be removed on priority basis as it can cause asthma, allergies, eczema and various other skin diseases.

Nirmal Singh to report to Home Secretary
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 10 — Allowing an application filed by Haryana’s Director-General of Police (OSD Rules) Mr Nirmal Singh, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has held that the applicant cannot be ordered to report to the DGP, Mr S.P.S. Rathore.

Pronouncing the orders, administrative member Mr J.L. Negi and Vice-Chairman Mr G.C. Garg also directed the continuation of the “earlier arrangement of the applicant reporting to the Financial Commissioner and Secretary to Government of Haryana, Home Department, in administrative matters etc till such time amends were made by the respondent-State in that behalf”.

In their detailed order, the Bench observed: “Once it is the conceded position that the applicant is holding the rank of DGP, though working against an ex-cadre post of OSD Rules, he cannot be asked to report to the DGP, Mr Rathore who is holding the same rank and status as the applicant”.

The Bench also observed: “The fact that Mr Rathore belongs to the 1965 batch and the applicant belongs to the 1968 batch of the IPS makes no difference for that purpose. It is the rank and status of the officer which is material for the purposes of reporting to the cadre”.

The Bench elaborated: “In case the applicant had been posted as Additional Director-General of Police, the position might have been different, but as already noticed, the applicant is holding the same status as DGP Rathore”.

Seeking the quashing of an order issued on January 20 putting him under DGP Rathore’s control, Mr Nirmal Singh had earlier contended that both of them were holding the same rank.

In their short reply, the state of Haryana had, on the other hand, stated that the administrative arrangement was made when Mr A.S. Bhatotia was handed over the DGP’s charge. The arrangement was discontinued as it was operative only during Mr Bhatotia’s tenure, it was added.

Seeking the dismissal of the application, counsel for the state had argued that the arrangement became redundant after Mr Rathore, senior to the applicant, was posted as the DGP.

It may be recalled that the arrangement was made through an order dated May 6, 1999, as the applicant and Mr Rathore were both senior to Mr Bhatotia promoted as DGP vide order dated February 16, 1999.

School Board lists out new provision
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, June 10 — The Board of School Education, Haryana, at its meeting here yesterday decided that the students of education boards of other states who had been placed under compartment in class X and class XI examinations would be allowed to take admission in class XI and Class XII in any recognised school of Haryana.

The Board Chairman, Mr Sher Singh Rori, clarified that such students would have to clear their compartment from their previous board before the declaration of the result of their respective classes by the Board of School Education, Haryana. He said the students would have to submit a certificate to this effect to the board.

Mr Rori stated that earlier only students of the Board of School Education, Haryana, could benefit from this provision.

The chairman further stated that the board was issuing a circular in this regard to all government and recognised senior secondary schools and colleges of the state.

Entry of Maxi cabs banned
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, June 10 — The district administration has banned the entry of all Maxi cab vehicles within the limits of the nagar parishad and nagar palikas of the district with immediate effect.

This was stated here today by Mr Anurag Rastogi, Deputy Commissioner. He said the step had been taken with a view to regulate traffic.

Mr Rastogi said police barriers would be installed outside the municipal committee limits on the Hisar-Hansi, Hisar-Fatehabad, Hisar-Siwani, Hisar-Barwala, Hisar-Balsamand, Hisar-Tosham, Hisar-Mangali, and the Hisar-Babral roads and no Maxi cabs would be allowed to enter the limits of the municipal committee. He said local buses would be started on these routes for the facility of the passengers.

Industries facing power crisis
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, June 10 — Erratic power supply to the Industrial Estate at Ambala Cantonment is causing hardship to the units.

Talking to newspersons, the President of the Haryana Estate Industries Association in Ambala, Mr D.C. Gupta, said since the past fortnight, the power supply to the area had been erratic and there were delays in repairs.

"We demand that the supply should be restored from Babyal and carelessness of the local Electricity Department officials should be checked," he said.

He said any industrial area was a major source of revenue for the electricity department, but, the officials here did not take interest in the maintenance of the power supply. "We demand that breakdowns should be attended to promptly," he said.

Mr Gupta said due to the problem, they were forced to use generators which caused air and noise pollution.

Amenities no, fear yes
From Our Correspondent

KALKA, June 10 — Every evening fear and tension grips the residents of Gurbaksh Colony. The basic amenities are missing in this colony for a long time. Now the terror of wild animals has struck the hearts of residents of this colony, as a jungle falls near it.

A Congress leader and resident of this colony, Mr Satish Singla, said there was no provision for streetlight in the colony and voltage of electricity was low. There was no sewerage system and no drainage system.

Mr Singla added that narrow gauge rail line passed through Upper Mohalla, the main path of this colony, which posed a constant danger to the passersby, especially children and elder people. A transformer was sanctioned to improve the electric supply in the colony some time back but the same had not been installed so far, added Mr Singla.