 |
| Thursday,
November 9, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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KU panel recommends 5 monthly
tests MDU to drop contact
programme Sugar mill to start operation from Nov
16 126 cr for community
forestry in Haryana Movement of “tokenless” trains inaugurated Five killed in
accidents 1 killed, 5 hurt in mishap |
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Tension in Bhadra as
2 die in police firing
Additional charge
for M.P. Singh Census staff to
be recruited
KU youth festival begins at Kalka Undertrial’s escape
case: 2 held Homework to kids on
census
1500 more cops to be recruited All set for Kapal Mochan
Fair One killed in
car-bus collision Schoolchild killed Oppn on people’s doorstep
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KU panel recommends 5 monthly
tests KURUKSHETRA, Nov 8 — In view of the Haryana Government’s decision to abolish December test in various universities and colleges, a special committee constituted by Kurukshetra University for this purpose here today recommended the introduction of five monthly tests instead of December tests. The committee met today under the Chairmanship of Dean, Academic Affairs. The special committee meeting was attended by the Registrar of the university, Dr Hawa Singh, Principal of a Government College, Principal, University College, Dr (Mrs) Chand Dutta, Principal of College of Education, Dr S.P. Malhotra and Dr Ramesh Kumar, Principal of MLN College, Yamunanagar, who represented the non-Government college of the state. The committee decided that instead of December tests, five monthly tests should be held in an year in colleges. Out of this, sitting in four monthly tests should be compulsory. In each test, a student should get at least 15 per cent of the marks in each subject. The committee recommended that in aggregate a student should get 20 per cent marks to be eligible to sit in the university examination. However, there is divergent opinion among the college principals, teachers and academicians about the wisdom of the government to abolish December tests. Dr Ramesh Kumar in an interview with the TNS demanded that the state government should restore December tests. He maintained that December tests were a “valid academic exercise” being practised in all the varsities of the country. To abolish it without a foolproof alternative to judge the capability of the students was “unwise”. It is reported that the state government has decided to abolish December tests to achieve the target of 180 teaching days in a year. But the Principal, Dr Ramesh Kumar, maintained that this aim could be achieved in many other ways. He was of the view that December tests were “conducted to know what has been grasped by the students.” It provides the students an opportunity to know the format of the university question papers. Dr Ramesh Kumar said that the problem of achieving a target of 180 teaching days would not end with the abolition of December tests. In fact, the trouble lay elsewhere. The academic session should start in July. However, results of some of the subjects have not still been declared by Kurukshetra University. How come then that a student who is expected to complete 180 days of teaching could complete it in the rest of the session when he gets admission in October or November after the declaration of results. In Kurukshetra University, the admission which should normally have ended by July was extended till October 31 by the Vice-Chancellor as results of various examinations were awaited. Dr Ramesh Kumar suggested that admission to engineering colleges should be completed before the admission to degree classes in colleges. This would not only avoid overlapping but wastage of expenditure by the students. It would also end uncertainty being faced by the students before the admissions to various colleges comes to an end. Students apply in various colleges and engineering institutions to seek admission and the dates of admissions for each college vary. If the admissions in the engineering colleges end in time, the degree colleges would not face the problem of students shifting to other colleges. Dr Ramesh Kumar said the declaration of results by varsities and boards should be made “mandatory” before the admission start. He said irrelevant gazetted holidays could be done away with. Instead the government should grant five additional casual holidays to teachers. Another way was to introduce the concept of leave encashment. |
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MDU to drop contact
programme ROHTAK, Nov 8 — Maharshi Dayanand University has decided to discontinue the practice of imparting lectures under the personal contact programme to the students on roll of its Distance Education Department from the next academic session. The Registrar, Dr Preet Singh, said the university was planning to send study material by post to these students, in collaboration with the Manipal University. The university is spending nearly Rs 2 crore every year on imparting education under the personal contact programmes. Moreover, the response of students towards the contact programme was also not satisfactory. The fund-starved university would thus save lakhs of rupees by discontinuing the programme. Dr Preet Singh said the government had sanctioned Rs 4 crore for the payment of arrears to the non-teaching employees under the revised pay-scales. The government, he said, had also released Rs 33 lakh out of the total allocation of Rs 1 crore on the plan side. This amount, he said, would be spent on the development of the sports complex. The Registrar said response to the CPEd and DPEd courses, introduced as regular subjects, was overwhelming. As against 180 seats, the university received over 2,000 applications and earned between Rs 50 to 60 lakh, he claimed. Meanwhile, resentment prevails among teaching employees over the non-implementation of the UGC recommendations. Though the teaching employees are being paid salary as per the revised pay scales since July 1999, the government has made certain modifications in these new grades. The state government had accepted the recommendations of the UGC in toto on September 29, but the same have not been notified as yet, perhaps due to the ongoing pen-down strike in the Civil Secretariat at Chandigarh. The government had fixed July 27, 1998 as the cut-off date for promotion to university teachers under the UGC package. This was stated by the Vice-Chancellor, Major-Gen Bhim Singh Suhag (retd) before a delegation of the MD University Teaching Departments Teachers Association here yesterday. The Vice-Chancellor assured the association that selection committees would be constituted to decide the promotion cases as per the policy laid down by the government. |
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Sugar mill to start operation from Nov
16 SONEPAT, Nov 8 — The Sonepat Cooperative Sugar Mill will start functioning from November 16 for the current season. The Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the mill said here today that crushing capacity of the mill had been increased in view of adequate availability of the sugarcane this year. The mill, he said, would get 24 lakh quintals of sugarcane against the bonded 28.05 lakh quintals this season. The mill had received only 18 lakh quintals of sugarcane in the last season. He disclosed that the mill will implement the centrally sponsored scheme for introducing credit to the sugarcane growers so that they could avail loan facilities offered by various financial institutions for purchasing the seed, fertiliser and the pesticides etc. The financial institutions, he said would provide loans on one per cent rate of interest and the sugarcane growers owning at least one acre of land will be entitled to get these loans. However, they would be free to get the loan without mortgaging their land with the financial institutions. Referring to the demands of the sugarcane growers, the DC assured that the management of the mill, as per the instructions of the state government, would pay the price of the sugarcane within 15 days of its supply to the mill. To keep the mill functioning, the state government has given a grant of Rs 4.25 crore to the mill during the last year’s crushing season. He asked the sugarcane growers to increase their produce and meet the requirements of not only Sonepat Cooperative Sugar Mill but of Gohana Sugar Mill which would start functioning from next year. Ms Sumedha Kataria, Managing Director of the mill, gave the details of the financial position of the mill and disclosed that the mill had earned a profit of Rs 1.75 crore during the first nine years. As many as 48,237 bags of sugar worth Rs 6.71 crore was still available with the mill for sale. She also disclosed that there were 40,210 sugarcane growers in the district and the Board of Directors had nine members who are elected by the shareholders. |
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126 cr for community
forestry in Haryana AMBALA, Nov 8 — A sum of Rs 126 crore has been earmarked to make Haryana more green. Eighty per cent of this help is being contributed by the European Union and 20 per cent by the state government. The districts of Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Hisar, Bhiwani, Rewari and Mahendragarh have been selected for community forestry, a release said. A sum of Rs 12 crore has been allotted to Ambala district. About 300 villages from these 10 districts are being identified for adoption of community forestry. A hi-tech nursery is being developed at Kurukshetra which will be the first of its kind in the state and a similar nursery will be developed in Ambala next year. The community forestry's main aim was to raise the standard of living of the people in rural areas and also the general development of the villages being adopted. Societies were being formed in the selected villages and these societies would be entrusted with the work of looking after the saplings planted under the community forestry. The department concerned would look after the plants for a period of three years and thereafter Rs 250 per acre would be given to the farmers to nurse the plants, the release added. The scheme of community forestry was launched in July, 1999, and will continue till 2008. |
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Movement of “tokenless” trains inaugurated PANIPAT, Nov 8 — To streamline movement of goods and passenger on branch lines and avoid delay as well as pilferage of goods, movement of “tokenless” trains was inaugurated by Divisional Railway Manager Vinod Sharma at “Khukhrana” Railway Station, 10 km from here yesterday evening. The DRM was on a routine inspection with heads of departments from mechanical, electrical, civil engineering, signals, telecommunications, and accounts department in an exclusive train with four saloons attached, reached Ambala in the morning, where from the team visited Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Narwana, Jind, Safidon and finally reached “Khukhrana Railway Station” for inauguration of panel work “interlocking” for traffic as on main line. The DRM said that the new technique would save much of the time working at this station which is an important point having connection with Panipat refinery and thermal power station. According to official information, interlocking work on “Khukhrana” Railway Station including Madloda and Baholi Stations was done due to movement of five to seven racks wagon loads daily containing 2500 to 2600 metric tonnes of finished products of Panipat refinery which passed through this point.
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Five killed in
accidents ROHTAK, Nov 8 — At least five persons, including a woman and a six-year-old girl, were killed in different accidents in the district during the past 24 hours. Madan Lal of Bihar died on the spot when a Jeep ran over him near DAV Public School on the Rohtak-Delhi road here last night. The police has registered a case. A Nepalese youth was crushed to death by a train near Samargopalpur village. The Railway Police has sent the body for a post-mortem. In another incident, the police fished out the body of Bijender (20) from a well in Meham. The deceased was reportedly missing for the past several days. Suman of Balambha village succumbed to her burn injuries at the medical college hospital here. Her clothes had reportedly caught fire while she was cooking. Sheetal (6) died on the spot at nearby Sudana village when an ASI of the Delhi Police accidentally fired a shot. The ASI, Ramesh, had come to the village to attend a marriage ceremony, fired a shot which hit the girl. The police has arrested the ASI. |
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1 killed, 5 hurt in mishap PANIPAT, Nov 8 — A person reportedly died and five others were injured seriously in an accident near Babarpur Mandi on the GT Road last night.
According to information, a Maruti car coming from Delhi and going to Palampur was hit by a truck resulting in the death of Ratan Devi of Palampur on the spot. The seriously injured — S.K. Sharma, his wife Prem Sharma, two sons Shreya Sharma, Abhinav Sharma and Dharampal, driver of the car — were admitted to the civil hospital.
They were referred to a Delhi hospital after being given first aid.
Tension in Bhadra as
2 die in police firing HISAR, Nov — One of the victims of police firing at Bhadra in Rajasthan, about 60 km from here, succumbed to his injuries at the Civil Hospital here this evening.
A few injured were also admitted to local private hospitals. Students of a school were demonstrating in front of the Bhadra police station, demanding the removal of a temporary police post set up out- side the school. This led to tension resulting in stone pelting after which the police opened fire at the demonstrators.
One student is reported to have died on the spot, while several others were injured. Tension prevails in the town following the incident. |
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Pig attacks bring menace in focus AMBALA, Nov 8 — For the residents of Ambala, pigs are a big problem. These can be spotted near drains, garbage dumps and residential areas of the town. The pigs roam about freely, mocking the claim of the local pig-rearing industry that it does not let loose its pigs. At least two incidents of pigs attacking children have taken place in the past few weeks. A few days ago, a girl of the Lal Kurti area was dragged for some distance by a pig. The girl was playing when the pig caught her. When she shouted for help, the local residents tried to scare away the pig, but the animal kept on dragging the child. In the second such incident, a pig attacked and injured a girl of the Sadar area of Ambala Cantonment. The incident took place when a two-year-old child was playing near her house in the Machhi Mohalla area. While girl’s mother was buying vegetables nearby, a pig ran upto the girl and bit her. The local residents saved the girl from the pig. The girl had to be rushed to hospital. Even dead pigs are a problem here. A woman of Mahesh Nagar said a dead pig had been lying in the area for the past one week. “Despite our repeated requests, no one has come to take away the pig. There is a foul smell in our area because of this and we cannot open our windows,” she said. The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said the district administration was aware of the problem. “We have asked the banks to ensure that any person seeking loan for setting up pig-rearing business must have a proper place for keeping the pigs,” he said. Mr Gautam said the administration was planning to build two compounds for keeping stray animals. “One will be in Ambala Sadar and the other in Ambala city. We will keep stray pigs there and challan the owners of the animals if they come to collect these,” he said. The President of the Municipal Council of Ambala Sadar, Pandit Shankar Dass, said, “We have already taken up the matter at the council meeting and a resolution to control the menace of stray animals has also been passed. We need to give notices to owners of stray pigs,” he said. “The council had sought 10 more persons for catching stray animals, but it was decided to select these persons from the existing staff. We are going to build a cattle pond at 12 Cross Road where stray animals will be kept,” Pandit Shankar Dass said. A sweeper who raises pigs, when asked how he identifies his pigs from the others, said, “Some persons cut the tails, the others pierce the ears and some persons even brand the pigs. We are poor and cannot afford to feed the pigs, so, we let the animals loose in the day,” he added. An official of the council said the MC could take an action immediately, but, the pigs belong to poor persons. “If we take action against them, there will be a strong protest,” he said. He said a solution was to ensure that pigs were kept at a proper place by those who could afford to rear these.
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Additional charge
for M.P. Singh
CHANDIGARH, Nov 8 — The Haryana Government has appointed Mr M.P. Singh, IRS, Income Tax Adviser to the state government, as Commissioner, Finance Department and ex-officio Special Secretary, Finance, in addition to his present duties. Mr Shyamal Misra, IAS, ADC-cum-CEO-DRDA, Panchkula, has been given the additional charge of CEO, Shri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board, Panchkula, against a vacant post. |
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Census staff to
be recruited
CHANDIGARH, Nov 8 — The Haryana Directorate of Census Operations today invited applications for the posts of draftsman, computer operator, proof reader, senior stenographer, junior stenographer and peon to be filled by transfer on deputation from among willing and suitable officials of the Central or state government. A spokesman for the department said two posts of draftsman, 12 of computer operator, one each of proof reader and senior stenographer, two of junior stenographer and four of peon would be filled. |
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KU youth festival begins at Kalka KALKA, Nov 8 — A three-day youth festival of Kurukshetra University, began today at Government College here.
The festival was inaugurated by Ms Anuradha Gupta, Director, Higher Education, Haryana. The festival is being held at two venues. During the first session at the first venue, a competition of orchestra and Haryanavi folk songs was held. Following are some of the results: Haryanavi folk songs — Government College,
Kalka, first; DAV College, Ambala City, second; and SA Jain College, Ambala City, third. Haryanavi orchestra — SD College, Ambala Cantt, first; SA Jain College, Ambala City, second; and Government College,
Kalka, third. At the second venue, function was inaugurated by Major
B.M. Ishar, Joint Director, Higher Education, Haryana. Competitions in Indian orchestra, light vocal (Indian), classical vocal (solo) were held here. The results are: Indian orchestra — SA Jain College, Ambala City, first; SD College, Ambala Cantt, second; and Dev Samaj College for Girls Ambala City, third. Light vocal (Indian) — Government College,
Kalka, first; Government College, Panchkula, second; and Maharana Partap College,
Mullana, third. Classical vocal (solo) — MDSD College, Ambala City, first; Arya Girls College, Ambala Cantt, second; and Government College, Panchkula, third. Mr Hari
Chand, Principal Government College, Kalka and Professor Ram Singh, Secretary of the festival committee, told that about 1100 students from different colleges of Haryana are taking part in this festival.
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Undertrial’s escape
case: 2 held HISAR, Nov 8 — The police has arrested two persons for allegedly freeing notorious criminal, Ranbeer Fauji, from the police custody at Madina village in Rohtak district last week. They were nabbed at Garhi village last evening. The police has also recovered a stengun and seven live cartridges, which they had snatched from the police, from their possession. Mr Sandeep Khirwar, Superintendent of Police, said Satyawan, of Moth village and Ramphal of Garhi Azam village, along with 12 youths, had attacked a police team, which was escorting Ranbeer Fauji to Gurgaon for a hearing from Hisar Central Jail. Later, the Rohtak police nabbed Ranbeer from Mokhra village in Rohtak district. According to the SP, the Narnaund police, on a tip-off, raided a school and arrested the duo. |
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Homework to kids on
census ROHTAK, Nov 8 —The Directorate of Census, Haryana, has devised a novel way to involve children in preparing a complete record of the members of their families for the census slated for February 2001. Addressing students of a Model School here today, Mr Sunil Gulati, Director, Census Operations, announced that surprise gifts would be given to the students whose records tallied with the official record. He suggested to children an interesting way to calculate the age of their grandparents. He said a child should first inquire about the age of his grandfather or grandmother at the time of marriage. Then he should ask how many years after the marriage his father was born. He said by adding the present age of his father to it, a child could get the actual age of his grandfather or grandmother. He pointed out that recording the real age would help the authorities in framing the policies and their implementation in the region.
Mr Gulati said the census would begin from February 2001. He advised the students to give saplings in place of chocolates and toys as birthday gifts.
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1500 more cops to be recruited CHANDIGARH, Nov 8 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, said that 1500 police personnel , including 80 ex-servicemen or their dependents and 114 sportspersons, would be recruited shortly in the state. Mr Chautala, who was presiding over a meeting of MLAs belonging to the INLD, BJP and the Independents, said that a coach would be present at the interview board for recruitment of sportspersons. The presence of a coach would also make the recruitment process more transparent, he said. Market Committees and Improvement Trusts would be constituted shortly and due representation would be given to members belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes in these committees. He appreciated the drive undertaken to remove encroachments, but added that land once got vacated should not be allowed to be encroached upon again. He also announced that he had a plan to appoint a government representative in each village to undertake works like distribution of pension among the beneficiaries of old- age pension, handicapped and widow-pension schemes, and power bills, besides performing other duties to maintain a direct link between the administration and the rural folk. |
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All set for Kapal Mochan
Fair YAMUNANAGAR: Kapal Mochan, the mark of integrity and harmony of different castes, religions and creeds is a historical and religious place situated 28 km from Yamunanagar in the Old Sindhu Forest of Bilaspur. Every year a big fair is held on Kartik Purnima (full moon night) in which Hindu and Sikh devotees from Punjab, Haryana and UP take a dip in the sarovar, in the belief they will get ‘‘moksha’’. According to Hindu mythology, it is the place to get rid of sins. It is said Bilaspur is the home of Ved Vyas, son of Maharishi Parashar who wrote the Mahabharata. Here he also composed the Vedas. His resting place is called Vyas Ashram, which later become Bilaspur. There are five holy spots at the distance of a mile each to the east of Vyas Ashram. Four of these are Thirth Ganga Sagar (Dharamkot), Hanuman Mandir on the Chhachhrauli road, Ashram Hriday Ram (Chanda Kheri) and Ramsar (Piruwala). According to mythology, in the beginning of Kalyug the saints arranged a oblation (mahayagya) at this place. But differences developed among the gods on whom to offer the last oblation. Lord Shiva was annoyed and escaped Adi Badri and Bhrama put the last oblation (purna aahuti) in the ‘‘yagya’’. After the completion of the oblation, a girl was born named Saraswati whose temple is situated to the west of Vyas Ashram. Kapal Mochan is also known as Sansar Mochan: It is the place of Sudhi Devi. It is said Bharat placed the statue of Ram here. After the Mahabharata battle, Pandavas also took a dip in this sacred sarovar to get rid of sin of murdering Guru Drona. To the east of Kapal Mochan there is Surya Kund. It is believed that a barren woman can bear a child by taking a dip. At the distance of 2.5 km of south there is Rishi Ved Vyas Sarovar. According to mythology, Rama visited the place after killing Ravana in his ‘‘pushpak viman’’ and after taking a dip in the sarovar, proceeded to Ayodhya. In 1687, Guru Gobind Singh stayed there after winning 52 battles. At this ghat, a big
gurudwara is situated. In 1584 Guru Nanak Dev visited this place. To the north of Kapal Mochan, there is Adi Badri, the residence of Badrinath. At the north bank of the Som river, there is old temple of Badri Narayana built by Shankaracharya. To the east there is the temple of Mantra Devi while to the west is Sarasvati Devi’s temple. On the Bilaspur-Chhachhrauli road, there is a Hanuman temple near the bank of the Sukhdyani river. It is believed that the icon of Hanuman appeared at the spot. A state-level fair is going to be held from November 9 to 11 on the eve of Kartik Purnima and birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Elaborate arrangements like drinking water, round-the-clock power supply, repair of roads, transport have been made by the district administration. |
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Pilgrims throng Kapal Mochan fair YAMUNANAGAR, Nov 8 — Pilgrims from various states have started arriving here to take a dip in the holy sarovars during Kapal Mochan fair. About 1 lakh pilgrims have reached the mela area so far. This was stated by the mela administrator-cum-Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mrs Renu Phulia, here today. She said all necessary arrangements for the convenience of pilgrims had been made. Fair-price shops and temporary toilets have been set up. Arrangements have also been made for clean drinking water.
One killed in
car-bus collision JHAJJAR, Nov 8 — One person was killed and another seriously injured when their Maruti car collided with a school bus near government college here today. The car was coming from Bhadani village to Jhajjar when it rammed into a schoolbus coming from the opposite direction. The car driver, Jai Prakash, was killed on the spot while the other passenger Virbhan sustained serious injuries. He has been admitted to Rohtak Medical College. The police has registered a case. |
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Schoolchild killed SIRSA, Nov 8 — One schoolchild died while six were injured in a road accident near Ramnagaria village in the district this morning. According to the information, a jeep carrying schoolchildren was coming from Salarpur village to Susa city when it had to be stopped due to some fault. While the jeep was standing, a speedy canter dashed into it killing one child on the spot while six were injured, one of them seriously. The injured were admitted to the local civil hospital. |
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Oppn on people’s doorstep ROHTAK, Nov 8 (UNI) — The Haryana unit of the Congress has initiated a move to counter Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala’s “Sarkar Aapke Dwar” programme by launching “Vipaksh Aapke Samaksh” campaign in the rural areas of the district.
Prof Virender, president of the district unit of the party, accompanied by the local party leaders, today held interaction programmes at several villages. A datewise schedule has been chalked out and much publicity given to the programme, Prof Virender said.
The party would take up issues like drinking water, irrigation, education and health to “expose the Indian National Lok Dal government led by Mr Chautala in the state”, he said.
BJP condemns attack
on priest AMBALA, Nov 8 — The local unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has strongly condemned the attack on a priest of Modha village by some unidentified persons.
At a meeting held yesterday under the leadership of the district President, Dr Bharat Bhushan Jathwad, the BJP demanded investigation into the attack and arrest of the attackers.
The BJP media secretary, Mr Kamal Kishore Jain, said that Dr Jathwad visited the injured priest, Swami Shankaranand, in hospital.
The party also demanded security for the disciples of Swami
Shankaranand.
New godowns for Haryana CHANDIGARH, Nov 8 — The Haryana Warehousing Corporation will construct new godowns of 41,700 metric tonnes at 13 places in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crore during the current financial
year. A spokesman for the corporation said today that the corporation had completed new godowns of 89,000 metric tonnes capacity from April last year to September this year. Godowns of another 6,810 metric-tonne capacity were under
construction. He said the corporation was setting up a land Container Depot at Rewari to provide dry port facilities to the importers and exporters of the state and adjoining areas. Bal Mela from
Nov 11 CHANDIGARH, Nov 8 — The Haryana State Social Welfare Advisory Board will organise Bal Mela-cum-exhibition from November 11 to 14 at Kanya Mahavidayalya, Sonepat.
The fair would be inaugurated by Mrs Mridula Sinha, Chairperson, Central Social Welfare Board, New Delhi. |
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