H A R Y A N A

Irate residents block traffic
SIRSA, Aug 3 — Enraged over a clogged sewerage and the ‘‘apathy’’ of the Public Health Department, residents staged a dharna and blocked traffic in the city for the fourth consecutive day today even as a death due to gastroenteritis was reported and six such cases referred to Rohtak and Delhi. 

Withdraw power tariff hike: JD leader
SONEPAT, Aug 3 — The President of the Haryana Janata Dal (U), Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, today criticised the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) government, headed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, for the hike in the power tariff and said it would put an extra financial burden on the people of the state.

CM lays foundation stone of multi-purpose hall 
AMBALA Aug 3 — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today said that the state government is continuing its drive to remove encroachment on government land.

42 persons out of 1,216 HIV positive
CHANDIGARH, Aug 3 — The main causes of HIV infection in Haryana are unprotected sexual relationships, transfusion of infected blood and intravenous drug use. This was stated here today by the Haryana Minister of State for Health, Mr M.L. Ranga.

Accused turns approver in mass murder case
HISAR, Aug 3 — Satte, an accused in the Mattershaam mass murder case, has sought to become an approver in the case. An application on his behalf in this regard was moved in a local court today.

Krishak Samaj backs bandh call
CHANDIGARH, Aug 3 — The Haryana Krishak Samaj has extended its support to the proposed Haryana bandh on August 9, the call for which has been given by various trade organisations in protest against the introduction of transit challans (ST-38).

2 booked for sale of fake certificate
FATEHABAD, Aug 3 — The police today booked two persons for selling fake certificates of the Haryana School Education Board to a local girl.

Power utilities to buy 3.5 lakh meters
CHANDIGARH, Aug 3 — The Haryana power utilities will buy 3.50 lakh single-phase tamper-proof electronic meters to replace the conventional electromechanical meters.

Principals welcome decision
AMBALA Aug 3 — The Non-Government Colleges Principals Association has welcomed the decision of the state government to lift the ban on recruitment of lecturers in private colleges.

• Name of Harijan Kalyan Nigam changed
  

HVP supports bandh, industrialists oppose
From Tribune Reporters

FARIDABAD, Aug 3 — The proposed Haryana bandh called by the Haryana Vyapar Mandal and other trader associations on August 9, which has been supported by the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP), is unlikely to get support from the industrial units in the state. The bandh has been called in protest against the decision of the Haryana Government to impose the condition of filing sales tax form ST 38 (A and B) for trading activity from August 1 last.

Faridabad, which is known as the industrial hub of the state, seems to be quite indifferent and averse to the bandh call. The secretary of the Faridabad Industries Association (FIA), which has a strong membership of 4000, said the FIA was not concerned about the proposed bandh as all its members were manufacturers and not traders. He said the association did not support any such bandh or strike as it was against the interests of the industry. He added that his association had, however, appealed to the state government and the traders to find a solution through talks. He said he was hopeful that a solution would soon be found.

Expressing similar sentiments, Mr Rajiv Chawla, honorary secretary of the Faridabad Small Industries Association (FSIA), said his association did not support or patronise any such bandh. He said: “We are basically against such moves as they do not serve anyone’s interests”. He said both the parties, including the state government and the traders, should solve the issue through negotiations. He said although the association was against any “undue harassment” of the trading community it supported measures to check any evasion of taxes.

This district has over 14,000 industrial units. Industry observers believe the bandh would have not impact on the industrial peace of the town. On the other hand the major trade associations, including the Haryana Vyapar Mandal and the Faridabad Traders Association (FTA), do not seem to be satisfied with the decision of the Chautala government to set up a nine-member committee headed by Mr Niranjan Lal Bansal, Chairman of the Haryana Warehousing Corporation, to study the issue and submit its report by August 7.

Mr O.P. Pandey, FTA president, when contacted said the main demand of withdrawal of form ST 38 stood as declared earlier even after his meeting with the Chief Minister yesterday. While he said he did not find the Chief Minister’s attitude very positive towards this demand, he added: “We have decided to wait and watch till August 7”. He also did not rule out the possibility of withdrawing the proposed bandh of August 9.

It may be recalled that Mr Pandey’s name also figures in the nine-member committee constituted by the government yesterday. It may also be recalled that the condition of submitting form ST 38 had been imposed in Haryana for the first time about eight years ago but the Congress government led by Mr Bhajan Lal had withdrawn it about five years ago. Members of the local unit of the Vyapar Mandal claim the bandh will be successful as the ST form decision will adversely affect each and every trader in districts like Faridabad and Gurgaon where the business is heavily dependent on inter-state trading with neighbour Delhi. They allege the new condition is an “invention” of certain officials who wanted to keep undue pressure and interference on trading community.

Claiming that it would not only harass the traders, a businessman here said form ST 38 would breed corruption and more tax evasion.

The new condition would force the traders to adopt new techniques to evade this measure and ultimately it would end up in complicating the matter. He said states like Delhi and Punjab had no such condition. He claimed this imposition would torpedo the earlier decision of the Chautala government to allow self-assessment for traders for annual business up to Rs 50 lakh.

Mr Pradip Jain, spokesman of the state unit of the BJP, claimed the proposed bandh would neither have any major effect nor it would bring down the popularity of the INLD-BJP government. The founder general secretary of the National Khadi and Village Industries Board Employees Federation, Mr Naresh Kadian, said the proposed bandh would have no impact in the state as the demand for scrapping of ST 38 was unjust.

PANIPAT: The state president of the Haryana Vikas Party (Trade Cell), Mr Dharam Pal Gupta, has confirmed the support of his party to make Haryana bandh on August 9 a success. He requested the party workers of the HVP to support the Haryana bandh against the Sales Tax form no 38A and B and make the bandh a success.

The district president of the Haryana Vyapar Mandal, Mr Roshan Lal Gupta, told newsmen that a meeting of state working committee of the mandal would be held in Rohtak on August 4. He said the main issue of the meeting was to discuss and assess the tax policy of the state government and prepare an action plan. 

Irate residents block traffic
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, Aug 3 — Enraged over a clogged sewerage and the ‘‘apathy’’ of the Public Health Department, residents staged a dharna and blocked traffic in the city for the fourth consecutive day today even as a death due to gastroenteritis was reported and six such cases referred to Rohtak and Delhi. The police resorted to a mild lathi charge at the local Gaushala road to disperse the agitating mob.

Three weeks since the last downpour, the city is still suffering its aftermath. Various localities are still facing problems relating to sewerage. The reek of sewage near their houses and the surroundings have made their lives miserable.

Several parts of the city are receiving contaminated water. Over a dozen diarrhoea cases have been reported from various hospitals in the city five of which have been referred to Rohtak Medical College and one to Delhi.

The Civil Surgeon, Dr M.K. Majithia, admitted that six cases of diarrhoea and one of jaundice had been received at the local Civil Hospital a few days back.

According to the Superintending Engineer, Public Health, Mr R.C. Bakshi, residents are to be blamed for the problems relating to sewerage as they have built permanent structures on sewer lines in some parts of the city and have broken the main holes to clear the storm water causing silting of sewer lines.

He said only one hydraulic machine was available with the department which was not sufficient for the purpose. He said six teams had been constituted to deal with the problems and added that the sewerage would be cleared soon.

Withdraw power tariff hike: JD leader
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Aug 3 — The President of the Haryana Janata Dal (U), Mr Ved Parkash Vidrohi, today criticised the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) government, headed by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, for the hike in the power tariff and said it would put an extra financial burden on the people of the state.

In a press note, he alleged that Mr Chautala, who claimed himself to be a messiah of the poor and weaker sections, was adopting oppressive methods and “crushing” them on some pretext or the other.

Mr Vidrohi cautioned the government against its “anti-people” policies and urged it to immediately withdraw the increase in the power tariff.

Referring to the proposed one-day strike on August 9 by traders, he extended the party’s support to the demand for the withdrawal of the professional tax and the ST-38 form and urged the government to take steps for liberalising the rules which could ensure free trade and less official control on them.

The Janata Dal leader criticised Mr Chautala for expunging the adverse remarks against various IAS and IPS officers who had been held guilty of malpractices and their integrity had been declared doubtful by the previous government in the state.

Mr Vidrohi also opposed the National Conference-sponsored autonomy demand for Jammu and Kashmir and criticised the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, for creating chaotic conditions in the state.

CM lays foundation stone of multi-purpose hall 
Tribune News Service

AMBALA Aug 3 — The Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today said that the state government is continuing its drive to remove encroachment on government land.

Talking to newspersons after inaugurating a bridge in the Naggal area and laying the foundation stone for a multi-purpose hall in Ambala cantonment, Mr Chautala said that encroachment on public land was being removed. "However, if a particular encroachment is not posing a problem to the people and it is not hampering any public activity in any way, then we are permitting compounding of the encroachment," he said.

"About 20,000 to 22,000 acres of government land was encroached upon and now we will ensure that the land is vacated. There are several acres of land in Uttar Pradesh and more than 1,000 acres, some of it prime land, in Delhi," he stated.

Mr Chautala, who also addressed district officials and Indian National Lok Dal activists, stated that a meeting with businessmen was held yesterday. "We have pointed out to them that for instance, form no 38 is not a tax but only a letter to ensure that the goods can be carried from one place to another. Regarding the proposed bandh on August 9, we will explain to the people so that the markets remain open," he said.

To a query, Mr Chautala said that the state government would make an effort to ensure that the annual problem of flooding in the Naggal area is solved. "I am of the opinion that if the excess water in the nullahs can be siphoned off into the Tangri river, there will be no flooding. I am going to consult engineers on the matter," he said.

Mr Chautala began his tour of Ambala by inaugurating the bridge over the Jodha nullah in the Naggal area. With the construction of the bridge at an estimated cost of Rs 82.71 lakh, about 20 villages in the area are expected to benefit.

The Haryana Government is building five bridges with the financial assistance of NABARD. Out of the five bridges, three are complete and two are nearing completion. The new bridge will help the villagers take their agricultural produce to the Anaj Mandi in Ambala city in all weathers.

The Chief Minister then laid the foundation stone of the Guru Gobind Singh multi-purpose auditorium which is going to be built next to the Fire Brigade station, opposite Gandhi Maidan, on Jagadhari Road, Ambala cantonment.

The auditorium will help the local businessmen to hold conferences here. There will be a large indoor hall where, among other things, a banquet hall, exhibitions and other such activities can be organised. A part of the cost of the building will be recovered by auction four shops going to be built facing the main road.

While addressing officials, Mr Chautala exhorted them to work for the welfare of the people. He outlined the government's efforts on various matters and told the officials to continue their work within those parameters. Mr Chautala, who spoke to them at Rukmani Devi Hall in Ambala cantonment, told them to lay special emphasis on the emancipation of the poor and downtrodden.

At War heroes stadium, Ambala cantonment, Mr Chautala addressed a well-attended INLD workers' meeting. Mr Chautala referred to the achievements of his government during the past one year. He told the workers that every effort must be made to strengthen the party.

42 persons out of 1,216 HIV positive
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 3 — The main causes of HIV infection in Haryana are unprotected sexual relationships, transfusion of infected blood and intravenous drug use. This was stated here today by the Haryana Minister of State for Health, Mr M.L. Ranga.

Mr Ranga said at present HIV testing was being carried out on a voluntary basis at three centres in the state. These centres were Microbiology Department, PGIMS, Rohtak, and the general hospitals at Karnal and Panchkula.

He said out of 1,216 cases screened up to June at the testing centres, 42 had been found to be HIV positive.

Mr Ranga also said the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, would lay the foundation stone of a blood bank at the general hospital at Fatehabad tomorrow. The National AIDS Control Organisation had been asked by its Haryana counterpart to set up a voluntary testing centre at Fatehabad next year.

Accused turns approver in mass murder case
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Aug 3 — Satte, an accused in the Mattershaam mass murder case, has sought to become an approver in the case. An application on his behalf in this regard was moved in a local court today.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Mr P.L. Ahuja, directed the prosecution to submit a reply and fixed August 14 as the next date of hearing.

Satte, a resident of Lali village of Rohtak district and co-accused in the case sent the application through the local Central Jail authorities. He stated that Raja, another accused and the resident of the same village had brought him here on the day of the murders by assuring him the job of driver with Ishwar Singh, sarpanch of Mattersham village and the main accused in the case.

He said on the night of the incident he along with Ishwar, Raja and Dilbagh reached Ishwar’s residence at Mattersham village on a motor cycle. Late in the night while he was asleep Ishwar Singh and his other accomplices killed some members of the sarpanch’s family. Later, they woke him up and forced him to help them kill other family members at gun point. He maintained that he just accompanied them but did not kill anybody.

Six members of the sarpanch’s family were murdered on March 18, 1999. They included Ishwar Singh’s wife Krishna, his two sons Krishan and Satpal, his father Prahlad, brother’s wife Roshani and her four-year-old son Naveen. All of them were shot dead and their bodies were set afire.

Seven persons, including Ishwar Singh had been booked in the case. Two of them had committed suicide within days of the murders. Five of them are facing trial in the case.

Ishwar Singh’s extra marital affairs with one of the accused in the case — Sushma was stated to be the cause of the murders.

High Court

Tax exemption refusal to film challenged
Tribune News Service

Seeking directions to the respondents for granting exemption in the state of Haryana, the petitioner had also stated that the preview committee had recommended it. Her counsel had added on her behalf that even the managing director and the joint secretary of the National Film Development Corporation also favoured tax exemption.

Krishak Samaj backs bandh call
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 3 — The Haryana Krishak Samaj has extended its support to the proposed Haryana bandh on August 9, the call for which has been given by various trade organisations in protest against the introduction of transit challans (ST-38).

In a statement issued here today the general secretary of the samaj, Mr Satpal Kaushik, said the samaj would urge farmers and labourers to participate in the bandh in a big way to oppose the “dictatorial and anti-people” policies of the Chautala government.

Criticising the BJP for its “duplicity” on various issues, Mr Kaushik said by issuing contradictory statements the BJP leaders were misleading the people of the state. While certain BJP leaders were publicly criticising the Chautala government on issues like transit challans, house tax and octroi, the others were supporting the government.

He also criticised the Vajpayee government for its “wrong” agriculture policy. 

Khadi workers continue stir
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Aug 3 — Following the retrenchment of nearly 4 lakh workers of the Khadi Board by the Government of India and the nation wide strike on this account, the Khadi workers of the city also announced a strike till August 9.

The convener of the Haryana Khadi Mission and secretary of the northern region of the Indian Khadi Gramodyog Union, Mr Mahesh Dutt Sharma, said the future of more than 58 lakh Khadi workers had been jeopardised due to the permission granted to villages for free import from multinational companies.

For the period 1999-2000, a balance of Rs 225 crore rebate had not been paid by the state governments, thus affecting the working capital of Khadi institutions, Mr Sharma said. On August 9, a memorandum would be presented to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, he added.

2 booked for sale of fake certificate
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Aug 3 — The police today booked two persons for selling fake certificates of the Haryana School Education Board to a local girl.

According to reports, Mr Madan Lal, a resident of local Shiv Nagar, had lodged a complaint with the police alleging that Yashpal and Mukesh, both partners of a local coaching centre, agreed to get a 10 plus two certificate of the education board for his daughter Sonia. The accused, according to the complaint, charged the examination fee of the girl but did not fill her form so she could not take the examination.

The accused then demanded a hefty sum of Rs 10,000 for arranging original certificate of the board and took Rs 2000 in advance. When they gave the certificate it proved to be a fake one. The police has registered a case under Sections 420, 468 and 471 of the IPC.

Power utilities to buy 3.5 lakh meters
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 3 — The Haryana power utilities will buy 3.50 lakh single-phase tamper-proof electronic meters to replace the conventional electromechanical meters.

While stating this here today, Ms Meenaxi Anand Chaudhary, chairperson of the power utilities, said the decision to replace the conventional meters was taken in view of a number of instances of consumers tampering with meters. The order to purchase electronic meters had been made after approval by the Purchase Committee of the state government. The new meters would be installed during the next six months, she added.

Principals welcome decision
From Our Correspondent

AMBALA Aug 3 — The Non-Government Colleges Principals Association has welcomed the decision of the state government to lift the ban on recruitment of lecturers in private colleges. The President of the association, Dr D.P. Asija, said here yesterday that the payment of salaries in private colleges had been regularised to a large extent. It would certainly ameliorate the sufferings of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the colleges, he added.

He also welcomed the decision of the government to increase the amount of gratuity of the staff of private colleges from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh which brought them at par with employees of government colleges.

Mr Asija said the government had given professor’s grade to several principals of private colleges. He, however, pointed out that there were several principals who were senior to these principals, but they had not been provided this grade.

Name of Harijan Kalyan Nigam changed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Aug 3 — The state government has changed the name of the Haryana Harijan Kalyan Nigam to the Haryana Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation, an official press note, quoting the Minister of State for Social Welfare, Mr Rishal Singh, said here today.