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| Wednesday, November 1, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Ambala cantt Cong up in arms Paddy glut in anaj
mandis Fierce lobbying for MC post Traders evade mandi fee, ST Surjewala not in race for now |
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CM inaugurates website on Sirsa Continuation sheets
discontinued in MDU Additional seats Railway authorities
remove encroachments ‘Vigilance awareness
week’ begins Ved Pal on NCP working panel
Ambala cantt Cong up in arms AMBALA, Oct 31 — The Ambala cantonment unit of the Congress is up in arms over the “imposition” of an Ambala city Congress activist as the state delegate from here. The local leaders have strongly resented Mr Narendra Singh Pali being chosen as the state delegate for the forthcoming elections, representing Ambala cantonment. The leaders here state that Mr Pali is an activist from Ambala city and there is no reason why he should be chosen from the Ambala cantonment. An informal meeting was held here in which it was decided that the matter will be taken up with the state party high command. The leaders expressed resentment at the “high-handed” manner in which the state delegate was chosen, ignoring several suitable Congress leaders from Ambala cantonment. Mr Narendra Singh Pali, however, said there was no reason for the Ambala cantonment leaders to resent his becoming the state delegate. “A state delegate represents the whole state and not just any particular area. There are several others who have been found fit to be made state delegate even though they did not hail from the particular place,” he said. He pointed out that he had been actively associated with the Congress for the past several years and had undertaken work for the party as and when desired. Earlier in the day, the Ambala city unit of the Congress paid tributes to Mrs Indira Gandhi. Among others, the district Congress president, Mr Balwant Gupta, spoke about the rich contribution of Indira Gandhi for the nation. The Ambala cantonment unit of the Congress paid tributes to Indira Gandhi at the Congress Bhavan, which was presided over by the local unit vice president, Mr Ashok Jain.
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Paddy glut in anaj
mandis AMBALA, Oct 31 — There is a glut of paddy in the anaj mandis and the unloading of paddy by the farmers outside the anaj mandis for lack of space inside, is a clear indicator that the farmers have done just too well. The farmers here are not sure of what they should do to reduce their problem of waiting for a long period of time to sell their paddy at the grain markets which are bursting at their seams. Things have now come to such a pass that farmers unload their paddy on the roads leading to the anaj mandi. For instance, in Ambala cantonment grain market, the lack of space forces farmers to unload their tractor-trailers outside the grain market. The Ambala cantonment grain market is one of the older grain markets in the district and it is located in the Sadar area. The roads leading to the anaj mandi are narrow which leads to traffic jams even if a car comes to a halt. During the paddy procurement season, the tractor-trailers loaded with paddy arrive from the nearby villages and they park the unwieldy tractor-trailers any place they find closest to the mandi. The farmers try to find a place closest to the mandi so that they can hope for an early selling of their paddy. Mounds of paddy lie along the road but the problem for the farmer does not end on unloading the paddy since with vehicles plying, the paddy has to be cleaned at regular intervals. The direct impact on the paddy being kept on the roadside is on the shops which line the road. For the shopkeepers, it means that except for people who want to visit a shop for the express purpose of buying something, others try and avoid that route since they are apprehensive of being caught in a jam. A shopkeeper said that they have now reached a stage when they look at traffic jams in a matter of fact manner. “For how long can you tell the farmers not to unload the paddy right in front of the shops. You may say no to a large number of farmers during the day but a farmer may come the next day early in the morning and unload it there,” he said. Once the paddy has been unloaded there, till such time it is not sold, the farmer has got no intention of moving it from there. “We can’t entirely blame them since many farmers bring their paddy on hired tractor-trailers, whose owners take back the vehicle immediately after unloading,” he said. The farmers, on their part, say that the inconvenience to others is only for a few days. “They should bear with us since we leave as soon as our paddy is sold. There is no space inside the anaj mandi so we have to unload it here,” a local farmer said. He observed that the only way to ensure that paddy is not unloaded outside is to make space available inside the anaj mandis. “If there is space inside, we will definitely unload it there. Afterall, we can hope to find more prospective buyers inside rather than outside the mandi,” he said. The district administration is trying its best to manage with the glut of paddy in the grain markets. Unloading paddy outside the mandi is a small problem compared to the lengths they have to go to ensure that the paddy procurement goes on smoothly. And for a farmer whose paddy is procured at a good price, the long wait whether inside or outside the anaj mandi, is worth it. |
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Fierce lobbying for MC post FATEHABAD, Oct 31 — The local Municipal Commissioner, Mr Satya Paul Bansal’s announcement that he will quit his post has triggered off a race for the coveted post. Mr Bansal, who had been facing a stiff resistance from a majority of municipal councillors, had on Saturday announced his decision to step down on October 31. He had taken the decision on the advice of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. Though the municipal president is yet to submit his papers, a race for the chair has already begun. At least six of the remaining 18 councillors have started the process of wooing MC’s and others to get the post. Prominent among them are the vice-president of the municipal committee, Mr Sushil Narang, the Sahayatarth Mahila Samiti president, Mrs Usha Dahiya, Mrs Shiela Tuteja, Mrs Durgesh Arora and Mrs Meena Bansal. Interestingly though the post is not reserved for women most of the contenders are women. While the vice-president, Mr Narang, is banking on senior INLD leaders, Mrs Tuteja’s husband, Mr Jug Lal, is also an old INLD leader and a staunch supporter of Mr Chautala. He also enjoys good relations with the local INLD MLA, Mr Leela Krishan Chaudhary. Mrs Dahiya is a leading social worker of the area and has good relations with the women members of the MLA’s family. Her physician husband, Dr H.C. Dahiya, is an old friend of the local INLD MP, Dr Sushil Indora. Mrs Arora and Mrs Bansal are also banking on political connections. Meanwhile, last-minute efforts are being made by Mr Bansal himself to mend fences with party leaders. Dr Indora, whose patronage Mr Bansal enjoys, met INLD MLA Leela Krishan Chowdhary yesterday and according to sources, tried to soften Mr Chowdhary’s opposition to Mr Bansal. It may be recalled that while the MC’s had long been complaining of Mr Bansal’s attitude towards party leaders for a long time, it was a complaint by the local MLA that tilted the balance against Mr Bansal. The activities of the municipal councillors at present is centred at the Basti Bhiwan residence of Mr Chowdhary, who is considered to be the deciding factor in this regard. When asked about his stand, Mr Chowdhary said he would comment on it once Mr Bansal submits his resignation. |
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Traders evade mandi fee, ST SONEPAT, Oct 31 — The Haryana Government has been suffering a huge loss of revenue on account of ‘benami’ purchases of paddy by certain unscrupulous traders and owners of rice shellers in this district, particularly in Ganaur mandi. The racket has been going on through the alleged collusion of officials of the market committee and Sales Tax Department with traders and owners of rice shellers. Officials of the procurement agencies are also said to be in league with the traders. During the current paddy season most traders and owners of rice shellers purchased paddy directly from paddy growers without showing the purchase in their stock registers. Thus they evaded not only market fee but sales tax too. Some traders also used the strategy to show lower arrivals at mandis. Simultaneously paddy growers are upset at slow purchases by procurement agencies. Farmers allege that sheller owners and traders are purchasing paddy at throwaway prices as officials of the procurement agencies demand commissions before making purchases. Complaints to the district authorities are ignored. A visit to the mandis of Sonepat, Ganaur and Gohana, showed huge heaps of paddy lying in the open for up to a week. Many farmers said that due to the collusion racket they were being forced to take their produce to nearby Narela market in Delhi for sale. |
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Surjewala not in race for now SONEPAT, Oct 31 — Mr Shamsher Singh Surjewala, president of the Haryana Krishak Samaj, has declared that he is not in the race for the post of the HPCC president at present, but cannot say anything about the strategy he will adopt in case his supporters ask him to contest the elections. Talking to mediapersons at Gohana 35 km from here, yesterday, he said he was not sure of the number of delegates who would support him and said that he had not counted the number so far. He said though he had coordial relations with the former Chief Minister, Mr Bhajan Lal, he had differences with him on policy matters. Referring to the alleged suicides by paddy growers, he said it was a matter of great concern and urged the Prime Minister to convene a special session of Parliament to discuss the situation which had assumed alarming proportions. He reiterated his demand for the dismissal of the Chairman of the Food Corporation of India, Mr Bhure Lal. Mr Surjewala criticised the central government for fixing low procurement prices of paddy and other foodgrains and alleged that in Ambala and Dhuri foodgrain markets, paddy was not even put to auction and it got damaged after lying in the open for several days. |
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CM inaugurates website on Sirsa SIRSA, Oct 31 — “What we thought or dreamt earlier is a reality now”, said the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, while inaugurating the Internet project and a CD on the district here today. He greeted the people of Haryana on the eve of Haryana Day and said from tomorrow the entire state would be connected through Internet. With the inauguration of this “soochna apke dwar” project at the local Panchayat Bhavan today, Sirsa became the second district in the country after Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh and first in Haryana where such type of project had been implemented. This project was also being launched in this district on an experimental basis at three locations — Odhan village, Rori and the Kalanwali municipal committee area to quickly redress the grievances of general public through e-mail and to provide a clean and transparent administration. |
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Continuation sheets
discontinued in MDU ROHTAK, Oct 31 — In a significant move Maharshi Dayanand University MDU has decided to discontinue the practice of issuing continuation sheets to the examinees. The decision will come into effect from the annual examinations of the current academic year. A spokesman of the university said the step was taken to check malpractices by students. He said the main answer sheet in the annual examinations of under graduate classes would now contain 36 pages instead of 28 pages and those of postgraduate classes would have 40 pages instead of 36 pages earlier. |
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Additional seats HISAR, Oct 31 — Guru Jambheshwar University (GJU) has decided to create two additional seats in all engineering, technology and architecture courses run by various affiliated colleges in the state for Kashmiri migrants, it was stated here today. Those candidates whose names had been recommended by Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, had already been informed to be present at the GJU on November 2 for the completion of formalities. Those who had applied directly had been asked to be present for councelling on the same day. |
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Two Dy Directors retire CHANDIGARH, Oct 31 — Two Deputy Directors of the Haryana Public Relations Department retired today after putting in 37 years of service. They are Mr B.R. Ranga and Mr H.R. Dewan. |
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Railway authorities
remove encroachments KURUKSHETRA, Oct 31 — The railway authorities today demolished several encroachments, including residential huts at Dhakka Basti here today. Supervised by Railway Inspector, Subhas Kataria and Railway Assistant Engineer Ashok Sharda along with five Railway Police Force (RPF) battlians, including 150 women police officials, was still in progress at the time of filing of this report. Mr Sharda told mediapersons that the railway administration had already given notice to the Dhakka Basti dwellers to remove the encroachments. Moreover, this action was initiated on the Supreme Court orders, he added. A deputation led by Dhakka Basti Associations president, Mr Kharbara Ram and Mr Narender Mehra, Municipal Councillor, yesterday called upon Dr Narhari Singh Bangar, Sub-divisional Magistrate, Thanesar, demanding allotment of alternative piece of land for their rehabilitation. |
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‘Vigilance awareness
week’ begins CHANDIGARH, Oct 31 — “Vigilance awareness week” commenced in Haryana today with a pledge in offices by public servants, irrespective of their status. The week will be observed till November 4 on the directions of the Centre. Mr M.S. Malik, Director of the state Vigilance Bureau, administered the pledge to officials of the bureau that they would continuously strive to bring about transparency in all spheres of their activity. |
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Ved Pal on NCP working panel CHANDIGARH, Oct 31 — A former Deputy Speaker of the Haryana Assembly, Mr Ved Pal, who had quit Mr Bansi Lal’s Haryana Vikas Party to join the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has been elected to the Working Committee of Mr Sharad Pawar’s party. In a statement issued here today Mr Ved Pal said a meeting of the kisan cell would be held at the head office of the NCP in Delhi on November 4. |
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