The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Sonepat prepares for Tau’s birthday
From R.D. Sapra

SONEPAT, Sept 23 — This fast growing industrial township and district headquarters, has been spruced up in connection with the 87th birthday celebrations of the former Deputy Prime Minister and a veteran freedom fighter, Mr Devi Lal, on September 25 next.

The entire city, with a population of more than two lakh, has been given a facelift and preparations are on to give a rousing reception to Mr Devi Lal, better known as Tau, by all sections of society.

Roads leading to the venue of the celebrations are being repaired on a war footing, roundabouts painted, pavements cleared of weeds and grass, storm water ducts scavanged and opened, and welcome arches bedecked with flowers erected all over the city.

The VVIP visit has jerked the district authorities into action. The PWD (B & R), the municipal and the Public Health Department workers have been working overtime for the past couple of days to spruce up the roads on which the motorcades of Mr Devi Lal and the Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, will pass.

Elaborate arrangements have been made at the site of the state-level rally — the new foodgrain market ground situated on the Sonepat-Rohtak road. At least 10 lakh persons from all over Haryana and parts of the neighbouring states, like Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are likely to take part in the celebrations.

A big balloon with the words, “Wishing happy birthday”, fixed at the venue has become an object of attraction for the people of the area. A cattle show and a photo exhibition depicting Mr Devi Lal’s childhood and his political activities would be held.

Mr Devi Lal would be weighed in blood equal to his weight twice on the occasion. The District Red Cross Society, in coordination with the Health Department authorities, has already started organising blood donation camps at different places in the district. Three such camps — one each at Government College, Gohana, Government ITI, Gohana, and Hindu College, Sonepat — have been organised during the past two days.

A many as 87 saplings will be planted near the main gate of the venue of the celebrations. Mr Devi Lal himself would plant a sapling on this occasion.

A colourful cultural programme would also be held.

Mr Dheerpal Singh, Minister for Town and Country Planning, who is the Chairman of the Reception Committee, reviewed the arrangements with senior district officers.

The Minister directed the district officials to make elaborate arrangements for ensuring the supply of drinking water and electricity in and around the venue. He also asked them to make special arrangements for the women and take steps to regulate the traffic in the entire city to avoid inconvenience to the people.

The Minister also addressed a meeting of the INLD workers at the Rai PWD Rest House. Mr Suraj Mal Antil, MLA, Mr Ved Singh Malik, former Minister, and Mr Ranbir Dahiya, President of the District unit of the INLD, were among those who participated in the meeting.

Mr Ajay Chautala, MP and a son of the Chief Minister also visited this city and went round the venue of the celebrations.

Traders’ body happy over levy rice price
Tribune News Service

KARNAL, Sept 23 — The Union Government has announced the price of levy rice to be procured by the Food Corporation of India from rice sheller owners.

According to authoritative sources, the price has been fixed at Rs 954.30 for fine variety, Rs 904.20 paise for coarse variety and Rs 905.20 for sella which is also known as coarse parboiled variety. The price announced by the Union Government is Rs 40 more than last year’s price.

Mr Ved Prakash Singla, President of the Grain Merchant Association, Ladwa, talking to TNS today expressed satisfaction over the price announced by the government. He stated that there was now no reason that the traders should not come forward to make bulk purchase of paddy from the market.

Mr Singla further disclosed that he had talks with Mr Dharam Vir, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Food and Supplies, Haryana, yesterday to apprise him about the problems of the rice traders and paddy buyers in Haryana grain markets. He said the Commissioner had assured him that the problems of the rice sellers relating to Haryana would be looked into.

The Commissioner is also reported to have told Mr Singla that enough space would be created for storing rice in Haryana. At present, there is a general complaint by the rice sheller owners that there was not enough space for rice storage with the government in Haryana as rice from Punjab had been dumped there.

He maintained that there was enough “Bar-dana” available with the rice sheller owners. he urged the traders to co-operate with the government.

It is learnt that the specifications of the rice to be bought by the FCI are the same as last year.

The Haryana Rice Shellers Association, yesterday, boycotted the purchase of paddy from grain markets. Today, the traders made purchases in bulk. However, as government agencies are ‘not making bulk purchases. The farmers were not getting the support price. The traders feel that till the government did not enter the market to make bulk purchases, the price of paddy would not be stable.

Mr Jai Prakash Gupta, MLA, Karnal, talking to TNS urged government agencies to maintain the support price. In this connection, he asked the agencies to make bulk purchases of paddy. Meanwhile officers of the DFSC and the FCI were visiting various grain markets in the state to make arrangements for buying paddy and levy rice.

Envoy calls for quality control in tourism
Tribune News Service

KURUKSHETRA, Sept 23 — Mr Herbert Traxl, Ambassador of Austria, today highlighted the role of private enterprise and quality control in the tourism industry.

He said that extension of tourist activities basically depended upon the economic, political and social environment of a country.

Mr Traxl who was addressing the faculty and students of Kurukshetra University on “Tourism and International Understanding” maintained that India had a big potential for growth of tourism. However, the factors necessary for the growth of industry were missing.

He was of the view that tourism was basically related to economics and culture. The growth of tourism depended on factors like law and order, board and lodging facilities, communication, transport and safety of the tourists. These were the prerequisites for attracting more tourists.

He disclosed that a country like Austria, which had a population of only 80 million, drew more than 2.40 million tourists. Surprisingly, India with its vast potential and diversity of culture, social mores and mountains did not attract tourists to the desired extend.

He focused on the role of private enterprise in tourism and wanted that quality control should be imposed in it.

Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, Chief Secretary of Haryana, stated that tourism in India could not develop as fast during the past 50 years at it should have. He said a country like India could ill-afford to invest large amounts of money in five-star hotels as a majority of its people did not have enough to eat. He wanted that individual efforts should be made both by the government and the private enterprise to promote tourism. He called upon the citizens to work for the promotion of the Tourism Industry.

The function was organised by the Department of Tourism of Kurukshetra University to celebrate its 10th anniversary.

Mr Inder Sharma, Chairman of SITA, in his keynote address regretted that India was one of the few countries which did not give due significance to tourism.

The Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Mr R.S. Chaudhry, was of the view that tourism could bring peace and humanity in this era of globalisation.

Mr Ashok Arora, Transport Minister, Haryana, also addressed the gathering and congratulated the university for being the first in Asia to start master’s degree in tourism.

Dr D.S. Bhardwaj, Chairperson of the Tourism Department of the University, highlighted the activities of the department during the past decade.

Stone removal raises dust
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Sept 23 — The dislodging of two foundation stones from the premises of the local University College by the authorities has kicked up dust on the campus.

The building, recently converted into the laboratory of the bachelor of information science and bachelor of information technology courses, was constructed to house the college canteen in the 1970s.

It was inaugurated by the then Revenue Minister, Pt Chiranji Lal Sharma, in 1974. Later, Maharshi Dayanand University took over the administrative control of the college. The building has been used for different purposes at different times: Primary classes of the university campus school were conducted in the building. The Conduct branch and Music Department of the university too have used this building. Former Vice-Chancellor, Lieut-Gen, O.P. Kaushik (retd) converted it into a hostel for girl students of University College in January, 1999. Later, the university closed the hostel and handed over the building to the college. Today, the building houses the computer laboratory.

According to sources, the Principal of the college recently ordered that the two old inaugural stones be dislodged to make way for the inauguration by the Governor-cum-Chancellor of the university on October 3.

Infuriated over this ‘derogatory’ action of the college authorities, a section of employees reported the matter to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Mr J.K. Sharma. It is learnt that Mr Sharma asked the Principal to get the stones refixed as their dislodging accounted to contempt of the former minister and the former Vice-Chancellor.

	White Paper sought on power supply From Our Correspondent HISAR, Sept 23 — Mr Surender Singh, son of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal and General Secretary of the Haryana Vikas Party, has demanded that the Chautala government issue a White Paper on how it plans to ensure round-the-clock supply of power in the state. He was addressing a press conference at Barwala near here yesterday. He said Mr Chautala was misleading the people by promising round-the-clock supply of power. No new power project had been commissioned in the state, he added. Mr Surender Singh claimed that the morale of the party workers was very high and Mr Bansi Lal would be the next Chief Minister of the state. He alleged that the Chief Minister was forcing industrial units to wind up their businesses in the state by imposing the local area development tax on them.
	VC reshuffles staff From Our Correspondent ROHTAK, Sept 23 — In the first major reshuffle after assuming the charge, the Vice-Chancellor, Maj-Gen (retd) Bhim Singh Suhag, yesterday shifted over 12 deputy registrars and assistant registrars in the administrative block. The controversial deputy registrar of the registration branch, Mr R.K. Goyal, was given the charge of the accounts branch. Mr Vijendra Singh, Press Manager, was given the additional charge of OSD to the Vice-Chancellor, while Mr K.S. Sharma, Finance Officer and Mr K.C. Dadhwal, Deputy Registrar, were given the charge of the university press and the registration branch. The Assistant Registrar, Mr Wazir Singh, was shifted from the re-evaluation to the general branch and Mr S.S. Pruthi, personal secretary to Vice-Chancellor, was transferred to the re-evaluation branch.
	Proposed hike in oil prices flayed From Our Correspondent HISAR, Sept 23 — The Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) has criticised the proposed hike in the prices of petroleum products. Addressing a public meeting here yesterday the state secretary of the union, Mr Satbeer Singh, said the hike would affect the middle class. He claimed that the proposed rally of the union on September 27 in Delhi would be a huge success as many organisations had supported it.
	Doctors’ meeting begins ROHTAK, Sept 23 (UNI) — A two-day regional conference of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVI) began at Pt B.D. Sharma Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here today. About 150 delegates from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh are participating in Dermascope-2000. Inaugurating the meet, Maharshi Dayanand University Vice-Chancellor Major General (retd) Bheem Singh Suhag stressed the need for generating awareness among rural people about various aspects of sex education, including common sexual disorders as, he said, rural folk were mostly ignorant on this subject. He congratulated the Iadvl’s Haryana chapter for holding the first ever regional conference in the state. Presiding over the inaugural function, pgims Director S.B. Siwach underlined the need for holding such conferences as experts in the fields of dermatology, venereology and leprology got a chance to interact with doctors engaged in the field which facilitated application of latest developments.
	2 killed, 30 hurt in road mishap From Our Correspondent SONEPAT, Sept 23 — Two persons were killed on the spot and at least 30 others injured, some of them seriously, when a private bus belonging to Shekhpura Transport Cooperative Society hit a tree and overturned near Shekhpura village, about 25 km form here, last evening. According to reports, the bus was on its way to Gohana from Ganaur when it developed a mechanical fault near Shekhupura village. The driver lost control resulting in the accident. The victims have been identified as Harphool Singh (52) sarpanch of Majri village and Krishan of Banwasa village. As many as 21 injured persons were admitted to a private hospital and the remaining at the community health centre at Ganaur. The Ganaur police has registered a case. According to another report, three persons were injured when a truck collided with a car on the GT Road near Bhigan village, about 12 km from here, yesterday. The injured persons were admitted to a private hospital.

	Awards for martyrs’ families Tribune News Service AMBALA, Sept 23 — To commemorate the supreme sacrifice made by brave army officers since Independence, the next of kin of martyrs were presented with a “Badge of Sacrfice” and a “Certificate of Honour” here on Saturday. The families of the martyrs were presented the awards by Brig N.D. Prasad, Commander PH & HP (I) Sub Area at Kharga auditorium in Ambala Cantonment. Those who were honoured include Mrs Gurnam Kaur wife of Infantry officer Capt Hira Singh killed in J&K operations on 4/4/49; Mr Inder Singh Khuran, father of 2nd Lt T P Singh, killed in Indo-Pak war; Smt Laxmi Kaushik, wife of Maj R.P. Kaushik killed in Indo-China war; Mr P S Rathore, brother of Lt Bikram Singh of Kumaon killed in the Indo-China war; Mr Dilip Singh, brother of 2 Lt R.P.S. Chowdhary of Artillery, killed in the Indo-China war; Smt Laxmi Devi, mother of Lt P N Gupta of Guards, killed in 1971 Indo-Pak war, Mrs Mandeep Kaur, wife of Maj Gurpreet Singh of the Dogras, killed in Operation Rakshak; Mr M.G. Anand, father of 2nd Lt Mukesh Anand of ASC killed in Operation Rakshak; Mrs Pratima Choudhary, wife of Maj Viney Choudhary of Punjab, killed in Operation Rakshak and Dr S.S. Bali, father of Maj Nitin Bali of Punjab killed in Operation Rakshak. The next of kin of all soldiers who have been killed in operations from 1947 to 1999 including Operation Vijay are entitled to ex-gratia grants.
	HAU clerk booked in embezzlement case From Our Correspondent HISAR, Sept 23 — The district police has registered a case against a clerk of Haryana Agriculture University in connection with the alleged embezzlement of funds. According to the police, Des Raj had withdrawn an excess of Rs 1,60, 296 from the department account which was detected during an audit. The Joint Director (Audit had directed the university authorities to proceed against him.
	Martyr cremated From Our Correspondent KAITHAL, Sept 23 — Sepoy Surinder Sing, who was killed three days ago in Jammu and Kashmir, in encounter with a group of militants was cremated with full state honours at Kekerr Mazra village yesterday. The Deputy Commissioner, Dr Mahaveer Singh, Mr Rajeev Mehta, SDM, Mr Amar Singh Dhandey, MLA, Mr Dillu Ram former MLA and large number of villagers attended the cremation. A contingent of the Haryana Police reversed the arms and sounded the last post. The three-year-old son of the soldier performed the last rites, with the help of his grandfather.
	Farmers hold up traffic Tribune News Service AMBALA, Sept 23 — Farmers, today, held up traffic for a brief while to press for procurement of a particular variety of paddy by the procurement agencies. The farmers blocked traffic on the Hissar road near Anaj Mandi, Ambala City, for a couple of minutes and they demanded that the Govinda variety of paddy should be procured by the government agencies. The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr Ram Niwas, intervened and the matter is being sorted out. The procurement agencies state that the Govinda variety of paddy is a sathi variety which does not come under the purview of procurement. The DC, Ambala, Mr Ram Niwas, said he is going to take up the matter with higher authorities so that the paddy which is qualitatively suitable can be procured.
	Lead banks’ role lauded From Our Correspondent AMBALA, Sept 23 — Mr Mohinder Kumar, Deputy Commissioner chaired the 115th district consultative committee meeting of the banks and government developmental agencies. Mr H. S. Nanda, Senior Regional Manager, Punjab National Bank, Chandigarh region, delivered the keynote address. The Deputy Commissioner expressed satisfaction at the district credit plan achievements. He lauded the effective role being played by the lead banks for the implementation of the lead bank schemes for various developmental activities in the district. He stressed proper implementation of the poverty alleviation programmes in the district by ensuring that benefit of these schemes reaches to the genuine people.
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