Medical camps or money spinners?
ROHTAK, Oct 25 — Medical camps where hepatitis-B vaccination is given have become lucrative business for some social-organisations in the state.

• Haryana to have 183 sub-health centres
• 5 of family die in mishap
• Governor, CM greet people
• Pig mauls 7-yr-old schoolgirl

FCI-miller standoff on sale points
From Our Correspondent

FATEHABAD, Oct 25 — The refusal by the Food Corporation of India to take delivery of custom-milled rice from the paddy procured by the state government procurement agencies, at Rattia and Fatehabad in this district has put rice millers and the authorities in a spot.

The District Food and Supplies Controller has today faxed a letter to his Director at Chandigarh in which he has complained that the FCI has been refusing to accept custom milled rice from paddy procured by state agencies at Rattia and Fatehabad, while it has been buying levy rice and custom milled rice from paddy procured by it at these places. The letter says that the DFSC wrote to the District Manager, FCI, in this regard but he too refused to take delivery at these places. DFSC has requested the authorities to take up the matter with the senior general manager of FCI at Chandigarh.

The decision of the FCI has put the rice millers of these two towns in a difficult situation. According to sources, the FCI is sticking to its stand that it will take delivery of custom milled rice at only those places that are linked by rail. As both Fatehabad and Rattia have no rail link, the FCI has been maintaining that the custom milled rice of these places be delivered at Bhattu Kalan or Tohana which are linked by rails. Though the FCI pay transportation charges to millers to transport rice to the railhead the latter are not interested in carrying rice to these places.

The millers however claim that if their rice is rejected by the FCI officials at Bhattu Kalan or Tohana they have to bear the cost of transportation from their own pocket.

CM promises power for rabi sowing
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Oct 25 — The Haryana Government has taken a series of measures to provide adequate power for running tubewells and canal water for sowings the rabi crop.

Stating this, Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala told mediapersons at the PWD (B & R) rest house at Rai about 13 km from here today that drought-like conditions prevailed in the districts of Gurgaon, Rewari, Mahindergarh, Bhiwani and Hisar and parts of Jhajjar, Sirsa and Jind. As a result farmers had suffered financial losses and their standing crop was damaged. He said he was in touch with the district authorities of the southern parts of Haryana and they have been directed to take immediate and concrete steps to mitigate the sufferings of farmers and other people.

The government, he said, would provide relief to drought-affected farmers after sowing of the rabi crop.

He claimed that the anti-encroachment campaign launched by the state government has yielded good results in Sonepat district and praised the efforts of the district authorities, for removing encroachments on 2,411 acres of panchayat land valued at Rs 111 crore.

On the demand for creation of Rai subtehsil, Mr Chautala said the state government will wait for the census figures before taking action.

The state government, has already constituted a committee under Mr Dheer Pal Singh, Minister for Town and Country Planning for deciding on resolutions of the gram panchayat for the inclusion of their villages in the blocks, tehsil and districts they want.

Referring to other demands, the Chief Minister said he has already directed the officials of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam to ensure regular power and water supply to urban and rural areas of the state.

He said special steps were being taken to give a facelift to cities in the state and the district authorities had been asked to mobilise industrialists for this purpose.

An unprecedented rush of villagers from the rural areas was seen at his open darbar at Rai rest house

Our Correspondent adds from RADAUR (Yamunanagar): Presiding over the second phase of ‘Sarkar Aapke Dwar’ programme at Mukand Lal National College here at Radaur, about 20 km from here, the Chief Minister said Gram Sabhas would be orgainsed between November 15 to December 15. These would include sarpanches, panches, ex-sarpanch, ex-serviceman, women and prominent citizens including members of Scheduled Caste of the village as its member for their active involvement in developmental work in their villages. With their active participation, quality of work would be improved.

He said all encroachments on government, panchayat land, custodians, Wakf Board and municipal committee, lands would be removed shortly.

He said a normal regularisation fee would be charged from those who had already constructed houses on panchayati land but houses falling in phirnis would be demolished. The money collected for regularisation would be deposited with the local panchayats for development of villages.

Plan to increase storage capacity
By Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 25 — A plan is being down up by the Food and Supplies Department of Haryana to build new storage areas.

Official sources said at present the covered area in the state could accommodate up to 26 lakh tonnes of grain. It was planned to enhance the covered storage facilitiy by 7.12 lakh tonnes. The estimate cost of this project was Rs 105 crore, the sources said and added that the proposal had already been accepted by the state government. Additional covered area for storing grain up to 35,000 tonnes would come up by March and could be used for storing wheat after its procurement by the government agencies, which would start by themiddle of April next year.

Similarly, the uncovered storage area was planned to be increase to accommodate 50 lakh tonnes from the present 20 lakh tonnes. The sources said the estimated cost of building the additional uncovered area was still being worked out. The Food and Supplies Department would like to involve private parties in this project, the officials added.

Once these two projects were implemented, they would partially solve the perennial problem of the shortage of storage capacity, the sources said. Even this year, a bumper paddy crop had resulted in considerable difficulty for the procurement agencies regarding the storing of the crop. About two lakh tonnes of wheat, stored in godowns since the last season, was reportedly taken out to be kept in the open to create space for paddy. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) also lifted thousand of tonnes of grains, stored in the godowns since the last season, in the wake of the paddy arrival season.

The procurement by government agencies in Haryana, the sources said, was more than 9 lakh tonnes till yesterday, which was almost thrice the total procurement by them in the last paddy season. By the time procurement ended in Haryana in the current season, the government agencies would collect over 14 lakh tonnes of paddy. One of the reasons for the increase in paddy procurement by the agencies was the depressed market price of rice, which prevented millers and traders from procuring paddy direct from farmers, the sources added.

On the compensation demanded from the Union Government for the paddy sold by farmers to traders and millers below the minimum support price (MPS), the officials said the Centre had already relaxed the specifications for paddy. Consequently, compensation for paddy sold by farmers below the MPS was now expected from the Centre.

If the Centre accepted Haryana’s demand for compensation, 50 per cent of it would have to be borne by the state government. This condition apparently had led to a tricky situation for the farmers of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh who had sold their paddy in Haryana mandis. The Haryana Government was contemplating writing to Punjab for settling the account of the Punjab farmers who came to Haryana mandis and sold their paddy below the MPS. Similarly, the UP Government might also be approached as a package was likely to be announced by the centre for UP, sources said. On the quantum of compensation for Haryana, the sources said it was still being worked out.

End corruption, Governor tells officers
From Our Correspondent

PANIPAT, Oct 25 — Reviewing work of different departments in Panipat district last evening, Governor of Haryana Babu Parmanand called upon the district officers to redress grievances of the masses with dedication, honesty and fearness.

He asked the officers to end corruption from government offices. He said that transparency in government working should be visible and felt by people.

The Governor asked the officers of Public Works Department (B&R) that the work estimates should not be inflated and the quality of work be also ensured as well. He pointed out that the medical officers of Health Department did not stay in the rural areas and thus the villagers were deprived of the medical facilities provided by the state government. He asked the medical officers to stay at their places of posting in rural areas. He emphasised the need to create awareness among the masses about the on going activities of Health Department. He also stressed the need to involve social activists in such programmes. He asked the Health Officers to organise special camps in the district to apprise the people about health care schemes.

During the course of review, the District Education Officer told that as many as 88 newly recruited JBT teachers had been posted in rural areas in the district following decision of the state government. He also informed that 54 language teachers were also being appointed soon to undo the shortage of teachers.

The Executive Engineer, Public Health informed that water supply was being augmented from 40 litres to 55 litres per day capita in 33 villages of this district during the current year. Besides, 70 litres drinking waters was being supplied per day per person in village Bichpri. He told that the underground water level was going down 10 feet every year.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr M.R. Anand, briefing the Governor about the developmental activities informed that 261 houses had been constructed under Indira Awas Yojana in the district. He said that 28451 families living below the poverty line had been identified so far in the district. He said that the loans on easy instalments, had been arranged to 311 unemployed youths to start their ventures during this year so far.

Dark Divali for aided colleges’ staff
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 25 — For the teaching and non-teaching staff of government-aided colleges in Haryana, it will be a dark Divali tomorrow. They have not been paid their salaries for the past two months.

The situation is still grave for those teachers who had retired in the past five years. In view of the state government’s decision to implement the pension scheme for the teachers of the government-aided colleges, the retired teachers have not been paid their provident fund and other retirement benefits. While the government has stopped its contribution to the provident fund, it has not yet implemented the pension scheme following certain objections by the Finance Department.

The Haryana College Teachers Union had held an emergency meeting of its office-bearers under the chairmanship of the President, Mr Shamsher Singh, a few days ago at Kurukshetra and urged the government to immediately implement the pension scheme and save the retired teachers from financial hardship.

According to sources initially the government had agreed to make up for the deficit of the college managements upto 95 per cent. The managements were supposed to pay salaries to the staff from their own resources and claim the deficit amount from the government which used to release grant-in-aid “in due course of time”.

However, over the years almost all the college managements started depending upon the government’s grant-in-aid for paying salaries to their staff. Till the managements receive the grant-in-aid, the staff has to go without their salaries. The “due course of time” used to extend from 6 to 9 months about a year ago. But now it has been reduced to two to three months. The delay in the release of the grant is caused by the Finance Department which has to see the current resource position of the state government.

In a joint statement issued here today the general secretary, Dr Sudarshan Gasso, and the press secretary of the union, Prof V.K. Puri, while thanking the Chautala government for accepting all recommendations of the UGC with regard to the revised pay scales of college and university teachers, urged the Chief Minister to implement the pension scheme and to ensure timely disbursement of the salaries to the college staff.

NEWS ANALYSIS
Haryana BJP in catch-22
By Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 25 — The Haryana BJP today finds itself in the proverbial situation of being caught between the devil and the deep sea. A senior party leader, who did not want to be identified for obvious reasons, said : “Hum chakki ke do paatton mein phas gaye hain!”

His obvious reference was to the state of virtual irrelevance to which the BJP has been reduced in Haryana, thanks to the tactics of the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, which would make Machiavelli proud. Though the state party leaders are aware of the treatment meted out to them by the INLD, they are unable to do anything to safeguard their party’ s interests.

Mr Chautala has ensured to cultivate, what a BJP leader said, was the “Vajpayee BJP”. Despite loud protests by the state leaders against the manner in which, they feel, Mr Chautala has ignored the state BJP, the newly elected BJP President, Mr Bangaru Laxman, during his recent visit to Rohtak, not only expressed full faith in the INLD-BJP alliance but also showered praise on Mr Chautala.

Mr Laxman described Mr Chautala as a popular, senior and seasoned politician and went on to say that the INLD was a valued partner in the National Democratic Alliance. He also advised his party men in Haryana not to annoy Mr Chautala beyond a point because his support was crucial to the NDA government.

It is an open secret that Mr Laxman is the Prime Minister’s man.

It is also an open secret that Mr Chautala does not have as good rapport with the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, who is considered to be the next important leader in the BJP after Mr Vajpayee, as he has with the Prime Minister.

Mr Laxman’s clean chit to Mr Chautala has left many red faces in the state unit of the BJP, whose president, Mr Rattan Lal Kataria, has been demanding the constitution of a coordination committee of the INLD and the BJP, to be ignored by Mr Chautala in “silent contempt”. Mr Laxman also said that it was for Mr Chautala to decide whether or not to constitute the coordination committee. Mr Kataria has also been demanding that Mr Chautala should treat his party the way the BJP treated the other NDA partners at the Centre.

Ever since Mr Chautala recommended the dissolution of the Haryana Assembly in December last and the BJP insisted and got 29 assembly seats, Mr Chautala and the other leaders of his party have made it a point to remain silent and not to respond to the criticism by the state BJP leaders. But certain actions of the INLD men and the Chautala government have, knowingly or unknowingly, cut the roots of the BJP in the state.

Even today no response has come from any quarters of the INLD to the personal attack launched by the Leader of the Haryana BJP Legislature group, Mr Krishan Pal Gujjar, against Mr Chautala at a press conference held here yesterday.

Mr Gujjar, who had opposed certain decisions, like the increase in various taxes and the imposition of the local area development tax, taken by the Chautala government on the floor of the House in the last assembly session, was recently served notice by the State Vigilance Bureau accusing him of, among other things, amassing property disproportionate to his known sources of income.

The BJP leader had said that he would soon meet Mr Advani and Mr Vajpayee and demand that an inquiry should be held into the assets of the Chautala family. He had also said that he would urge the Central leaders to allow the state BJP to withdraw support from the Chautala government.

Today Mr Kataria in a statement to a news agency from Ambala not only denied that there was any move to withdraw support from the Chautala government but also added that the BJP did not want to come into confrontation with its alliance partners on the basis of “personal issues”, a clear rebuff to Mr Gujjar. This dichotomy of views of the party president and the Leader of the Legislature Party would only confuse the already confused rank and file of the party.

Obviously, Mr Kataria has been influenced by Mr Laxman’s advice to the state leaders in Rohtak.

In another development, friends of Mr Chautala are trying to get the BJP general secretary in charge of Haryana affairs, Mr Narendra Modi, who, too, is not on very good terms with the INLD leader, replaced by someone friendly with Mr Chautala. In this connection, the names of two former Chief Ministers of Delhi, Mr Madan Lal Khurana and Mr Sahib Singh Verma, are being mentioned.

Mr Chautala, whose Vigilance Bureau,on the one hand, can go to the extent of slapping corruption charges on the Leader of the state BJP Legislature Party, on the other hand yesterday deftly removed an irritant in INLD-BJP relations after the intervention of certain Central leaders.

The demolition of a temple, allegedly constructed on encroached HUDA land in Faridabad, had ruffled the feathers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Mr Gujjar, too, had protested against the demolition. The Union Minister of State for Home, Mr I.D. Swami, and a VHP activist, Swami Parmanand, met Mr Chautala in Delhi yesterday. After the meeting Mr Chautala made it a point to visit the site.

It is learnt that Mr Chautala not only allowed the reconstruction of the temple at the same site but also promised all help in its construction. The state BJP leaders were not taken into confidence during the process of reconciliation.

Under the circumstances, only time will tell how Mr Kataria will fullfil his ambition to make the BJP the number one party of Haryana.

Transfer of officials on census duty to be banned
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 25 — A meeting of the high-level State Coordination Committee on Census 2001 in Haryana was held here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, to take stock of the progress made for the smooth conduct of the census from February 9 to 28.

An intensive publicity programme was approved at the meeting including publicity through TV, radio and the print media. Essay competitions, quiz programmes and chetna rallies would also be organised. It was also decided that Mahila Mandals should be involved in the publicity campaign.

The meeting decided to ban the transfer of officials associated with the census work. The census work would be reviewed regularly.

It was also decided that no school board examination would be conducted upto March 15, 2001.

The meeting was informed that two regional census offices would be set up, one each at Hisar and Panchkula.

Medical camps or money spinners?
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Oct 25 — Medical camps where hepatitis-B vaccination is given have become lucrative business for some social-organisations in the state.

According to sources, several non-government organisations (NGOs) and social organisations are conducting such camps amid a glare of publicity. Such organisations are busy minting money by creating fear among the people about the deadly disease and then alluring them towards vaccination at subsidised rates.

It is learnt that the most hazardous aspect of a majority of such camps is that untrained and unauthorised persons are administering the vaccination setting aside the precautions and necessary directions.

According to medical experts, the heaptitis-B vaccine should be stored at a temperature ranging from 2°C — 8°C. They categorically stated that a variation in temperature from the required range even for a short time would render the dose ineffective. They claimed that no steps were taken to maintain the cold chain at most of such camps. They said the vaccine produces optimum level of response only if booster dose is given after 30 days, 6 months and 5 years after the first dose.

A senior professor of the PGIMS revealed that the vaccine could prove to be useless under three conditions. The cold chain was not maintained, the vaccine was not administered at the right part of the body and person concerned was aged. He said the vaccine should be administered in the arm and not on any other body part. He informed the vaccine does not produce the desired immune response in old persons. However, it had been observed that the said specifications were being blatantly violated at most of these camps.

The District Health Officer, Mr Jhajjar, said the organisers of such camps were required to intimate the district health authorities before holding such camps. He said the health officials occasionally visit such camps to see whether the vaccination was being carried out in a proper way.

Haryana to have 183 sub-health centres
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 25 — The Haryana Government today decided to set up 183 sub-health centres in the state during the remaining period of the Ninth Five Year Plan. An official spokesman said under the scheme 40 per cent of the capital cost of construction of the sub-centres would be met by the Centre, 40 per cent by the state government and the rest by the gram panchayat concerned.

The state government had decided to set up a sub-centre for a rural population of 5,000. At present, 2,300 sub-centres were functioning in the state. He said the state government had set aside Rs 8.60 crore for the construction of civil hospitals, primary health centres and community health centres during the current financial year.

5 of family die in mishap
From Our Correspondent

SHAHABAD, Oct 25 — Five persons of one family including husband, wife, their son (19) and two relatives, died on the spot in an accident on the G.T. road here between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. today.They were going in Maruti car (No. CHZ-4114) from Chandigarh to Delhi. Their car hit a truck going in the same direction. Those killed have been identified as Mr Prem Chand Sharma, his wife, Ms Rama Sharma and son, Bikram Sharma (19) and two relatives, Prince Sharma (8) and Lucky Sharma (17) of Chandigarh. 

Governor, CM greet people
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 25 — The Haryana Governor, Babu Parmanand, and the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today extended their warm wishes to the people of the state on the eve of the festival of lights (Divali). The Governor urged the people to celebrate the festival with a sense of peace and communal harmony. In his message Mr Chautala said such festivals promoted the spirit of mutual understanding and communal amity.

Pig mauls 7-yr-old schoolgirl

AMBALA, Oct 25 (UNI) — In a freak incident, a seven-year-old schoolgirl was mauled by a pig when she was playing with her schoolmates near her house in Lal Kurti Bazar locality here yesterday. The furious female pig not only caught hold of the girl and bite her, but dragged her by the leg seriously injuring her.

The pig is alleged to have attempted to eat a part of the girl’s leg. She was eventually rescued by a crowd which encircled the animal and cornered it. The girl was rushed to the hospital in serious condition. She is so traumatised by the incident that she is not prepared to go home after treatment.