 |
| Thursday, August 17, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
Suspense over CM’s visit JD(U): Chautala
govt anti-farmer Stench and pools of water Railway staff sitting idle Foundation stone of Sikh museum laid Faulty sewers add to residents’ woes |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HVP leader begins
indefinite fast Day’s police remand for Gop
Mariya Two hospitals for
Faridabad Recruitment of
constables on Aug 19 Rs 321 cr project to
strengthen roads 2 killed in mishaps
|
|
Suspense over CM’s visit GURGAON, Aug 16 — Notwithstanding the official tour programme of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, here for the coming Friday a section in the officialdom and the commoners prefer to keep their fingers crossed over his proposed visit. The proposed visit has generated keen interest in various circles as it would be the first after the August 7 showdown between the farmers and the administration which resulted in police firing, lathi charge and injuries to more than 20 persons from both sides. The reason for uncertainty among various sections over the visit is on account of cancellation of the two scheduled visits of the Chief Minister in the past. The administrative machinery and the leaders of the ruling INLD had failed to give any coherent reason for his missing the dates with Gurgaonites. While some speculated about a health problem, the others attributed it to pressing
engagements of the dignitary. According to sources, prominent leaders of the INLD are making all-out efforts to make the visit of the Chief Minister a success.
Notwithstanding the official stand of the INLD that the farmers were misled by the Congress and some politicians who have been sidelined to take recourse to violence against the
establishment, its leaders are apparently on the defensive during their private visits to the villages. They are also reportedly on the backfoot after the observance of Haryana bandh for which a call was given by the traders. The hectic schedule of Mr Chautala during the crucial visit includes morning breakfast with INLD workers at the residence of the president of the Gurgaon district unit of his party, Mr Ramveer Singh, lunch at the farmhouse of the Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Assembly and local MLA, Gopi Chand Gehlot, address to the workers and a pubic meeting at Farukhnagar (falling in this district). In Farukhnagar too the schedule is punctuated by high tea at residences of a couple of prominent workers of the INLD. According to reports, the farmers involved in the agitation to press the government to find out a way to exempt them from the recovery of dues to be paid by them in the wake of the Punjab and Haryana High Court reducing the amount of compensation against the land acquired by the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) are toying with the idea of meeting Mr Chautala and registering their protest against the police action against them. The INLD leaders are reported to be mobilising farmers supportive of the party to counter them. According to observers, there is another angle, far removed from party politics and beneficially related to the man in the street. As usual the authorities here have launhced themselves in decking up the roads to be used for the cavalcade of the Chief Minister during his proposed visit. To some extent the public grievances relatig to routine life are sought to be taken care of on a priority basis. Pending works which had come to the notice of the Chief Minister during his earlier visits here are being looked at afresh by the authorities concerned. All these measures had been also taken prior to the two aborted visits. It is in this developmental context that the commoners feel that even if the dignitary scored a hat-trick in failing to keep a date, there would still be no case of “lost opportunity” for them. |
JD(U): Chautala
govt anti-farmer ROHTAK, Aug 16 — Describing the Chautala government as anti-farmer and anti-Dalit the Haryana Janata Dal (United) has alleged that the government had made life miserable for the weaker sections. Mr Ved Prakash Vidrohi, president of the dal, charged the government with taking several steps against the interests of farmers and the poor. He said, on one hand, the traders were being provided wheat at a rate of Rs 650 per quintal in the open market on the plea that wheat was surplus in the godowns of the Food Corporation of India, while, on the other, the common man was forced to buy wheat at the rate of Rs 950 per quintal from ration depots. He said the government had no answer as to why wheat was not provided to the common consumers at the rate of Rs 650 per quintal if it was surplus with the government. Mr Vidrohi claimed it was for the first time that compensation for the acquired land was taken back by the Haryana Urban Development Authorities in Gurgaon. He said the Chautala government had given ample proof of its “generous” attitude towards farmers by cane charging the farmers agitating against the withdrawal of the compensation in Gurgaon on August 7. The Dalit leader alleged the government abolished the reservation for backward classes and Scheduled Castes in private colleges of engineering and technical education. He said it also imposed a condition of minimum 40 per cent marks for Dalits for taking the pre-medical test. Both steps had ruined the career of a large number of students belonging to these communities, he alleged. |
|
Stench and pools of water FATEHABAD: Due to faulty sewerage, almost all inner roads and streets of the town turn into pools of muddy water after a drizzle. The worst affected are the Sanyas Ashram road, the old DSP road, the Vichar Ashram road and the Bhamba Ram
colony road. It is difficult to walk through these roads even a week after normal showers. The people can be seen squelching through the muddy roads. Vehicles pass through potholed roads splashing muddy water on pedestrians. Many two-wheelers can be seen stranded on waterlogged the national highway and inner roads during rains. This travail of the residents is an annual feature, but the authorities have preferred to ignore it. * * * * The local vegetable market is situated in the heart of the town. It is difficult to move freely in the market during brisk business hours in the morning. In the rainy season the market is converted into a pool of mud. Rotting fruit and vegetables
emanate obnoxious smell. One will not fail to notice it as one enters the market. Pigs and stray animals are common sight here. A new vegetable market, which was constructed three years ago, remains unoccupied. According to sources, the vegetable traders are not interested in purchasing plots in the new market through open auction. They are demanding the allotment of plots on reserve prices. When the government was ready to sell the plots on the reserve prices, the traders raised objection. The government has now decided to sell the 68 plots in the market on August 25. * * * * This district police has launched a special campaign to eliminate poppy husk trafficking in this district. Not only common people but also close relatives of MLAs and ministers have been arrested with poppy husk. The Rattia area of the district, situated on the border of Punjab, has become notorious for poppy husk smuggling and its abuse. The district police has launched a two-pronged drive to eliminate the evil of poppy husk abuse and its trafficking while it is acting tough with the traffickers, it has launched a drive to dissuade the poppy husk addicts. During two functions organised by the police many addicts came forward and took a vow not to use drugs.  |
|
|
Railway staff sitting idle PANIPAT, Aug 16 — The Railway authorities here are not serious about curtailing their expenses which have been escalating unabated. The division here keeps on sleeping over the proposals forwarded for its own benefit. Many instances of avoidable expenses can be quoted here in Panipat railway station of Delhi division, where officials are least bothered about curtailing expenses, which cause huge losses to Northern Railway. Sources confirmed a staff of 21 employees of the carriage and wagon department, employed for the job of cleaning conventional racks, has become surplus with change to DEMU system on electrified routes. It is alleged the 21 employees have been sitting idle as they do not have to work for cleaning the newly introduced DEMU trains since 1997 onwards which replaced conventional racks, inflicting a revenue loss of about Rs 60 lakh. Similarly, 15 employees who used to work on conventional racks for providing lights in the trains are also partially without work as lighting in DEMU trains is managed by the power (engine) driver. Here again there has been a revenue loss of about Rs 60 lakh till now. This staff has been getting salary regularly without putting in any work since the past about four years as their job of cleaning and lighting is not needed. Moreover, there was vacancy of a lamp man who used to light the signal lamps on the signals around the railway station. But after electrification electric bulbs are used in signals. Sources confirmed that lamp man Attar Singh has been on duty for more than five years, serving the staff for their day-to-day requirements. The Railways has been silent on these issues and is paying the staff of at least 40 employees without utilising their services somewhere else as till date no action appears to have been taken. A cleaner of conventional racks can be asked to clean the railway station and remove dust, silt, polythene bags and other rubbish. The major task at the Panipat railway station is to provide 24 hours’ service at the inquiry counter. The computerised service is available there but oral information system is a must. Some employees who have been sitting idle can certainly be deputed for this duty. A long-pending demand of the public for a second entry gate has been cleared but no action appears to have been taken in this regard. Sources confirmed that the building constructed four to five years back for the purpose of arranging ticket counters on the proposed second entry gate was used as a switch room and now the Railway authorities are again in search of new space for the ticket windows. As a result of upward revision in bus fares passengers are attracted towards train services as comparatively rail tickets are still cheaper. Therefore, an additional counter as well as two SPTM machines used for issuing tickets are a necessary to ease the rush on existing ticket counters. Sources further confirmed that in the absence of these facilities the rail staff allegedly get the opportunity to fleece illiterate people during rush hours while issuing tickets. Daily complaints of excess charges are coming up. Illiterate
passengers do not know where to lodge their complaints regarding overcharging. |
|
|
Foundation stone of Sikh museum laid YAMUNANAGAR, Aug 16 — The Haryana Agriculture Minister and convener of the Khalsa Tercentenary Celebrations Committee, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, laid the foundation stone of the Guru Gobind Singh Martial Arts Museum at the famous pilgrimage centre, Tirth Kapal Mochan, yesterday. The project will be completed within two years at an estimated cost of Rs 235.70 lakh. It will be constructed on more than 6 acres. The land for the purpose has been purchased by the Cultural Affairs Department of Haryana at Aharwala village for Rs 20 lakh. A dormitory room, an exhibition hall, 16 rooms and an open-air theatre with a capacity of about 1,000 would be constructed, he said. He said the “shobha yatra” which started from Nada Sahib on April 8 to mark the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations passed through all districts of the state. The steps taken by Mr Om Prakash Chautala for the Khalsa tercentenary celebrations and the museum would always be appreciated, Mr Sandhu said. Mr Sanjeev Kaushal, additional principal secretary to Chief Minister, Haryana, and director of Public Relations and Cultural Affairs Department, said the museum would be based on Sikh architecture. He said Guru Gobind Singh had stayed at this place for 52 days, hence the museum was being constructed here. The museum would work as an information and research centre also. The weapons used by Guru Gobind Singh would also be displayed . A memorial would also be constructed at Bad Khalsa in Sonepat district, he added. The Principal of Guru Nanak Khalsa College said the museum would be helpful in providing knowledge about Sikhism to youths. On the occasion, Mr Amarjit Singh Mangi, member, SGPC and Jathedar Kartar Singh Takkar also expressed their views. Mr Baldev Singh Baraich, chairman of minorities INLD, Haryana, general secretary M.C. Gambhir and chairman of the zila parishad Anil Lal were also present at the
function. |
|
|
Faulty sewers add to residents’ woes ROHTAK, Aug 16 — A faulty sewerage system and an apathetic administrative approach kept the residents of the old Housing Board Colony and Gannipura awake on Tuesday night as the rainwater entered the houses though the city recorded merely 50mm rainfall. Similar was the position in some other localities, Jagdish Colony, Shyam Colony and the Nehru Colony, which had been carved out by the Improvement Trust. Though rainwater did not enter the houses, but other low lying localities were inundated. The memories of the devastating flood of 1995 haunted the residents of densely populated Gannipura when rainwater entered their houses around mid-night. The panic-ridden residents immediately contacted the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rajesh Khullar, to seek help. The problem in the old Housing Board Colony appears to be a creation of the Haryana Housing Board Department which had prepared the layout in 1978. The planners have failed to make provision for a proper sewerage disposal and an outlet for storm water. The sewage from this housing board colony is thrown in the open near the Kanheli drain along the railway lines. The planners of HUDA sectors in Rohtak, too have committed similar blunders. There is no sewage disposal for Sector-1 and Sector-14 which have been habitated almost fully. The sectors have no place either for dumping the domestic waste and HUDA has not provided regular sweepers also. Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, a former minister told that rainwater had also entered houses in the Azad Nagar colony. The water level in most of the houses in the Old Housing Board Colony and in Azad Nagar was between two to three feet. Household items in majority of these houses had been damaged and he demanded adequate compensation for the sufferers. Mr Hooda apprised the Deputy Commissioner of the problems being confronted by residents of the Preet Vihar, Kamla Nagar, Vijay Nagar and other colonies and stressed the need for a permanent solution for disposal of sewage on the Housing Board Colony and these localities. These areas form part of the Kiloi Assembly segment which he had represented from 1991 to 1996. Non-desilting of the sewerage, he said, was the major reason for the flood-like situations in the town during the recent rainy days. The sewers had been choked mainly due to the plastic bags which were in circulation despite a ban imposed by the government about two years ago. The raising of level of the roads within the city limits, particularly near the bus-stand has also contributed in inundating most of the colonies and localities. The roads within the municipal limits have been constructed by HUDA engineers upon whom the Estate Officers have no administrative control. Mr Krishan Murti has urged the Chief Minister to allocate a special grant of atleast Rs 10 crore to mitigate the problems of the Old Housing Board Colony and its adjoining
localities. |
HVP leader begins
indefinite fast REWARI, Aug 16 — Mr Vijay Saini, general secretary of the youth wing of the Haryana Vikas Party, and two others, Mr Gurcharan and Mr Gopal Das, began an indefinite fast at Moti Chowk here yesterday. They are demanding a CBI or a judicial inquiry into the alleged malfunctioning of the District Red Cross Society and the immediate suspension of its secretary, Mr D.R. Sharma. Mr Saini said he had already made a written representation in this regard to Babu Permanand, Governor of Haryana. His two associates have also levelled charges of corruption against the secretary. Meanwhile, Mr Sharma has filed a defamation suit against Mr Saini and three others in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here, alleging that the “vilification campaign” launched against him by them was politically motivated. |
Day’s police remand for Gop
Mariya FATEHABAD, Aug 16 — The Judicial Magistrate, Ms Neeraja Kulwant
Kalsan, today remanded Gop Mariya, a brother of former Haryana Minister Vinod
Mariya, to one day’s police custody in the Rs 4 crore excise scam case. Gop Mariya was produced before the court as his two days’ police remand given on August 14, ended today. The prosecution lawyer pleaded before the court, that the police needed to verify from certain banks and insurance companies, where the accused might have invested money. The prosecution pleaded that August 15 being a national holiday the police could not complete its job. The prosecution prayed for a further police remand of three days. Counsel for the accused, however, contended that Mariya had been falsely
implicated due to political consideration, though he was neither a partner nor a worker in the firm involved in the scam. Counsel further said that if the prosecution could not get any information from his client in two days, then a further police remand was not justified. In her order the Judge ordered one day’s police remand for the accused. Gop Mariya will again be produced before the court tomorrow. |
|
Two hospitals for
Faridabad CHANDIGARH, Aug 16 — The Haryana Government has decided to set up two first-referral hospitals of 30-beds each at Faridabad at a cost of Rs 3.25 crore with a view to providing better healthcare facilities to people, especially those living in the slum areas. Giving this information, Dr M.L. Ranga, Minister of State for Health, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had sanctioned financial assistance and work on the two hospitals in Sectors 3 and 30 of Faridabad would start soon. The minister added that Haryana would be the first state in the country to have blood banks in all districts. Dr Ranga said during the current financial year eight new voluntary testing centres would be opened at Hisar, Sirsa, Rewari, Faridabad, Kurukshetra, Bhiwani, Yamunanagar and Gurgaon in accordance with the recommendation of the National AIDS Control
Organisation. |
|
Recruitment of
constables on Aug 19 KAITHAL, Aug 16 — The recruitment for 120 posts of constables in the Haryana Armed Police (for Kaithal district) will take place here on August 19 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Giving this information, the Superintendent of Police, Mr Parbhat Ranjan, said 54 posts were for general category candidates and the rest were reserved. The required age for these posts is between 18 and 27 years, but there is a relaxation of five years for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste and backward caste categories, he said. |
|
Rs 321 cr
project to strengthen roads CHANDIGARH, Aug 16 — The Haryana PWD (B&R) has formulated a Rs 321 crore project, with assistance from HUDCO, for the strengthening of roads in the state. In the first phase, a sum of Rs 144.08 crore will be spent. A
spokesman for the department said here today that roads measuring 2,862 km would be transferred to the Haryana State
Agricultural Marketing Board for maintenance and improvement. He said state highways measuring 2,574 km would be covered under the periodic maintenance component programme with the assistance of
HUDCO. |
|
2
killed in mishaps ROHTAK, Aug 16 - One person was killed and three others were injured when a jeep carrying them collided with a truck near Kharkara village on NH-13 yesterday. According to police sources, Baljit Singh of Kharkara village was coming from Bhiwani to his village in jeep number (HR 16 B-2066) with his family. The vehicle rammed into a truck (DL 1 GV-652) approaching from opposite direction killing Baljit on the spot. Naresh, Paramjit and Tarawati were injured in the accident. The police has registered a case under Sections 279, 337 and 304-A of the IPC against the truck driver, who is absconding. In another incident, a scooterist was run over by an unidentified vehicle on the Rohtak-Hisar road here last night. The deceased has been identified as Naresh of Gohana (Sonepat). The police has registered a
case under Sections 279 and 304-A of the IPC. The body has been handed over to the family of deceased after a postmortem examination. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
