Withdraw support to INLD: Haryana BJP
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Dec 4 — The Haryana state unit of the BJP has sought the party high command’s permission to withdraw support from the Chautala government.

All five Lok Sabha MPs and the six MLAs along with the state party leadership have communicated to the party high command, including the Prime Minister, in no uncertain terms that the fate of the party is sealed if the support to the one-year old government of the Indian National Lok Dal was not immediately withdrawn.

Alarmed over reports that the Haryana Vikas Party was once again rising from almost nought, where it had landed in the last assembly elections, the BJP state leadership is of the view that the support to the Chautala government should be withdrawn now, otherwise the party would be doomed.

The party’s strength was brought down to six in the last assembly elections because it had supported the Bansi Lal government, the state leaders have been arguing with the central leaders.

Even in the last assembly elections, Mr Chautala had ensured the defeat of many BJP candidates by fielding candidates against them, a senior leader said, adding that the Chief Minister can afford to “treat” us in such a negative fashion because of his proximity with the Prime Minister.

The entire opposition space is being increasingly occupied by the HVP and the Congress and the BJP is being washed out of the political scene in the state, a senior leader pointed out, adding that Mr Chautala does not pay any attention to the requests of the state leaders.

Mr Chautala and his staff are also rude to the BJP leaders.

If convicted, Rathore to be dismissed: Chautala
From Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

MALOUT, Dec 4 — The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, today said that he would ensure the dismissal and social boycott of the DGP, Mr S.P.S. Rathore, if he was convicted by the court in the Ruchika molestation case.

Mr Chautala, who was here to lay the foundation stone of some development projects today, said that so far no charge sheet had been filed against Mr Rathore by the CBI. It had only filed an application against him.

Mr Chautala, who was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, said that matter was in court and Haryana Government would respect and honour its decision. However, action at this stage against Mr Rathore was not justified.

The Haryana Chief Minister, in other significant statement, said that there were no differences between the Punjab and Haryana Governments over the pending inter-state issues. When asked why both the Chief Ministers were not making efforts to solve the issues, Mr Chautala said that all the disputed issues were pending in the court and it would amount to a contempt of court if he commented on any such issue. He said the issue of the transfer of Chandigarh was also pending in the court of law.

When he was made aware of the fact that transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab issue was not pending in any court, Mr Badal asked the reporters not to ask such questions. He urged the reporters to file a good story in connection with the development of focal points and arrangements made for the water supply to this town.

When asked whether his government would take any action against Principal Home Secretary Bikramjit Singh after the judgement given by Supreme Court into the V.K. Khanna case, Mr Badal said that action could be taken only after the conclusion of the inquiry in the matter.

On the chance of unity between the Badal and Tohra factions after the installation of Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi as SGPC President, Mr Badal said that Mr Tohra and his associates had left the Akali Dal on their own. He added that there was no chance of unity.

Earlier, Mr Badal while addressing the function organised in connection with the foundation stone laying ceremony of a mini-industrial growth centre, said next year would be a development year. He added that Rs 14 crore would be spent on the development of the centre. Adequate funds would be allocated for the development of potable water provisions in this town.

Chautala shielding Rathore: CPM
From Our Correspondent

ROHTAK, Dec 4 — The Communist Party (Marxist) has charged the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, with shielding the DGP, Mr S.P.S. Rathore, who has been chargesheeted by the CBI in the Ruchika molestation case.

The party ridiculed the statement of Mr Chautala that Mr Rathore would face social boycott if found guilty by the court. The secretary of the state unit of the CPM, Mr Inderjit Singh, said the CBI was conducting the inquiry on the directions of the high court and the Supreme Court.

Moreover, the then DGP, Mr R.R. Singh, had found Mr Rathore guilty during the departmental inquiry conducted during the regime of Mr Hukam Singh, he said.

Mr Inderjit Singh expressed sympathies with the families of the victims of the railway accident that took place near Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab. Expressing concern over the rise in railway accidents, the party demanded that the Union Railway Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, should take moral responsibility for these accidents.

Nearly 253 accidents had taken place in the past one year, the party pointed out. The CPM alleged she had been neglecting her duties and playing political gimmicks in West Bengal. 

I will not bow to pressure: Rathore
Tribune News Service

PANCHKULA, Dec 4 — Accusing colleagues in the police force with vested interests of creating unwarranted problems, Mr SPS Rathore, Director-General of Police, Haryana, said the frame-up in the Ruchika case had been successful on account of a hostile media coupled with a “manipulated” CBI report.

Unfazed by the goings-on in the case which has Mr Rathore in a tight spot, he said the thought of quitting from his post had not even crossed his mind. “I am not guilty of any wrong. Do you think you can cow me down by mounting pressure. There is nothing as immoral as being cowed down when one is right,” stated at a Press conference held during the khula darbar at Police Headquarters, here today.

Mincing no words, the DGP held that while law and truth were on his side, rivalry, vested interests and a hostile media weighed on the other side. “Facing the media is my hobby, I have no problems with that. I am clean on all fronts and for this reason alone I can hold the darbars and face the public,” he contended.

Replying to a question on keeping mum, he held: “Silence is my unassailable right. I will not go to the public and blabber about anything. I have my facts straight and the case is already in court. The CBI has been manipulated and I have been framed. why else would a 10-year old case be raked up when I am DGP.’’

He admitted that he was being staunchly supported by Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, because he was seeing things in the right perspective, unwilling to be party to the game-plan to get me out as head of the police force.

Earlier, commenting on the crime scenario in the state, he informed that against a national average of 3.5 per cent, the rate in the state had gone down by 1 per cent. He said the adjoining states of Punjab and Delhi had seen an increase in crime rate of 4.5 per cent, and 9 per cent, respectively. In crime against women the number had gone down by 32 with a decrease of 7 in cases of dowry, 36 in harassment and 5 in kidnapping. 

Haryana resorting to ‘arm-twisting methods’
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 4 — The Haryana Congress today accused the Chautala government of resorting to arm-twisting methods to cover its own failure in recovering the arrears of power bills.

In a statement issued here today the president of the Haryana Congress, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, said the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, was himself responsible for raising false hopes in the minds of people by promising free electricity. This promise led to the piling up of huge arrears, which the farmers were now unable to clear.

He said the government instructions that to get a cooperative loan, DRDA grants and other facilities like renewal of ration cards, driving licences, arms licences, registration of vehicles, registration of property or purchase of fertilisers from a government agency, a no-demand certificate by the power utilities must be produced were “nothing but a denial” of these facilities.

Mr Hooda said these instructions would shift the onus and responsibility of ascertaining the outstanding arrears from the power utilities to consumers and these would add to the harassment already being suffered by the people. It would also increase paper work in the power utilities which led to corruption.

Expressing the hope that the government would see reason and withdraw the instructions, the Congress leader said otherwise there was every apprehension that the people would resort to some other methods to avoid the situation created by the government instructions. 

Waiting for plots
From Our Correspondent

JHAJJAR, Dec 4 — The 305 beneficiaries, who had been given plots with authority letters six years ago by the government, are still waiting for the possession of the land.

According to them, the state government allotted 100 sq yard-plots to 305 Dalit and backward class families in Asaudha village in the district in 1994 under the landless artisans plot allotment scheme.

The government also acquired land to be allotted to these beneficiaries and also compensated some persons whose land was acquired.

However, even after six years they are still waiting for the possession of the plots.

They said they had brought the matter to the notice of officials concerned and also approached the Chief Minister but all in vain.

Governor opens Gita Jayanti Utsav
From Our Correspondent

KURUKSHETRA, Dec 4 — The Governor of Haryana, Babu Parmanand, inaugurated the four- day Kurukshetra Utsav-Gita Jayanti celebrations here today.

Addressing the audience, he said the Haryana Government was making efforts to develop Kurukshetra as a religious and historical centre, thereby putting it on the international map so that the massage of Gita could be delivered all over the world.

He exhorted people to donate generously for this cause. He said the Kurukshetra Development Board would do the landscaping of the surplus land to attract foreign tourists.

The Governor stated that the Board had set up a “panaroma” at a cost of Rs 5 crore. The Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee had consented to inaugurate it by the end of this month.

Babu Parmanand said the main objective of this festival was to spread the eternal message of Gita to the world.

He said there were 365 “tirthas” which needed rapid development. He said the government wold renovate them. He said Kurukshetra was the only place in the world where so many “tirthsthals” were situated.

The Additional Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Director, Public Relations Haryana, Mr Sanjeev Kaushal, read out an appeal, on behalf of the Governor, to donate money for the development of Kurukshetra. The money would be exempted under Section 80 (G) of the Income Tax Act. The money could be sent through cheque or cash to the Chief Executive Officer, Kurukshetra Development Board.

Earlier, the Governor inaugurated a state-level exhibition on the banks of the Brahmasarovar.

Artistes of the All-India Radio, Rohtak, presented a short play on the life of Lord Krishna. The Commissioner and Secretary, Local Bodies Haryana, Mr S.K. Maheshwari, presented a memento to the Governor while the Deputy Commissioner presented a memento to the wife of the Governor.

The Governor also inaugurated a blood donation camp at the University Crush Hall by the NSS Department of Kurukshetra University and sponsored by the State Bank of India.

The vice-Chancellor of the university, Mr R.S. Chaudhry, said such camps were organised every year. 

Plan panel guidelines on irrigation projects
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 4 — The Planning Commission has empowered the states to accord investment approval to major, multi-purpose as well as medium irrigation projects and those connected with flood control, including drainage projects, which do not have inter-state ramifications.

A written communication to this effect was handed over by the Adviser, Water Resources Division of the Planning Commission, Mr B.N. Navalawala, to the Haryana Chief Secretary, Mr Vishnu Bhagwan, at a one-day workshop on participatory irrigation management (PIM) organised by the Haryana Irrigation Department and the Haryana Irrigation Research and Management Institute here today.

The guidelines on projects, which have been revised keeping in view the policy of decentralisation, clarify that any project which is located on an inter-state river or its tributary will be deemed to involve inter-state ramifications and as such will need investment clearance from the Planning Commission.

Mr Navalawala, who delivered the keynote address at the workshop, underlined the need for focusing on PIM saying that there, was a wide difference in the existing provisions available for farmers’ participation under the Irrigation Acts and in the present management of irrigation systems.

He suggested that satisfactory results would not be obtained with the existing limited provisions in the Acts for farmers’ participation without giving legal status to farmers’ associations with legally enforceable rights.

Earlier, the Commissioner and Secretary, Irrigation, Mrs Urvashi Gulati, stressed the need for associating farmers in the management of water so as to improve the efficiency of the irrigation system.

Non-disbursal of pay fails to deter strikers
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Dec 4 — Even the non-disbursal of salaries for November to the Haryana Government’s striking employees belonging to the general categories and backward classes have failed to break their resolve to continue their agitation launched to press their demand for the implementation of the Supreme Court judgement in the Ajit Singh Janjua-II case regarding the policy of accelerated promotion to the Scheduled Castes employees.

The salaries to the striking employees have been refused in consonance with the principle of “no work no pay”. The pen-down strike by the employees entered its 24th day today. They had remained on strike for 16 days in the first phase of the agitation. It is learnt that though salaries have been given to those employees who are not participating in the strike, reports of non-preparation of pay-bills in many branches of the Secretariat have been received.

The president of the Haryana General and Backward Classes Employees Welfare Organisation, Mr Des Raj Lamba, told TNS on the phone that to expand the base of the agitation, it had been decided that five-member teams would visit each district in a couple of days to mobilise the field staff. The striking employees would also lodge a complaint with the Chandigarh police against the misbehaviour of the Haryana police with families of the agitating employees.

The indefinite fast by Mrs Promilla Sharma entered its 14th day. According to a press note issued by the organisation, Mr Prithvi Singh Layal, who was arrested by the Haryana police, was also on an indefinite fast, which entered its 19th day today.

Meanwhile, the hearing of a writ petition filed by two Scheduled Castes employees challenging the reversion orders issued by the Haryana Government in accordance with the apex court judgement was adjourned by the Punjab and Haryana High Court till December 6.

A rally organised by the employees outside 30-Bays building in Sector 17 here today was addressed by the convener of the Haryana Teachers Union, Mr Dharampal Kalia; Mr Azad Singh Narwal, Mrs Shashi Sharma, Mr Shyam Lal Sharma and Mr Prabhjit Singh. These leaders criticised the Chautala government and demanded the implementation of the apex court judgement.

Reinstate PWD employees: Kadiyan
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Dec 4 — The Haryana Government PWD Mechanical Workers Union (Public Health Department) will extend its support to the Sarv Karamchari Sangh (Haryana) which was agitating against the policies of the Central and the state governments.

This was announced by Mr Ram Kumar, Kadiyan, General Secretary of the state unit of the union, while addressing a rally of employees here yesterday.

He said employees of the union would join a one-day token strike on January 10 against the policies of the privatisation, liberalisation and globalisation being pursued by the NDA government at the Centre which had threatened the existence of many departments. This would adversely affect the employment opportunities in the public sector besides hampering the public utility services.

Mr Kadiyan demanded payment of bonus to the employees and removal of anomalies in the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission. He demanded that all dismissed and suspended employees should be immediately reinstated and the ESMA be immediately withdrawn.

Later, the following have been elected as new office-bearers of the district unit of the union: Chairman — Mr Lalit Prasad Pandey; President — Mr Balbir Singh Dahiya; Senior Vice-President — Mr Mohammed Ali; Vice-Presidents — Mr Narotam Sharma, Mr Surat Singh, Mr Suresh Kumar and Mr Jai Singh Kaushik; Secretary — Mr Sheelak Ram Malik, Organising Secretaries — Mr Sushil Kumar, Mr Ram Kumar, Mr Inder Singh and Mr Raj Singh Hooda, and Treasurer — Mr Prem Chand Verma.

The following have been elected office-bearers of the Gohana unit — Chairman — Mr Dilbagh Singh Malik; President — Mr Dharampal Malik; Vice-President — Mr Ram Mehar; Secretary — Mr Raghbir Singh Lath; Treasurer — Mr Dharamvir Pannu.

Irrigation Department unit: President — Mr Jaipal Malik; Senior Vice-President Mr Ram Kumar; Secretary — Mr Jagdish Kumar; Treasurer — Mr Balwan Singh.

Hospital lift out of order
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Dec 4 — The elevator (lift) of Government Bhadshah Khan Hospital failed to function today also as the chief guest and officials who came to attend the inauguration of the new burns ward had to climb up the stairs to the fourth floor.

The new ward is located on the fourth floor.

The lift is reportedly lying ‘out of order’ for many days.

The patients and the staff are worried that if the lift was not repaired soon, then it would be a real problem of shifting burn patients to the top floor.

Palwal mill to crush 24 lakh tonnes of cane
From Bijendra Ahlawat

FARIDABAD, Dec 4 — The cooperative sugar mill at Palwal town in the district is likely to crush 24 lakh tonnes of sugarcane in the ongoing season. It would be five lakh tonnes more than the total cane crushed last year.

According to Managing Director of the mill, Mehtab Singh Sehrawat, the mill would be working at 135 per cent of the plant capacity and the crushing period is likely to be over by April, 10, next. He said while the recovery level was about 9.58 per cent, the mill had been getting, 18000 quintals of cane daily. He said the mill would be producing 2.25 lakh bags of sugar in the current season, while only 1.80 lakh bags of sugar was produced last year.

The sugarcane area in the region has increased from 20,010 acres to 23,725 acres this year and the radius of the mill’s supply area is 32 km, which cover as many as 358 villages. As many as 10,000 farmers supply cane to the mill. The mill authorities have claimed that work at the mill had been going on smoothly.

Separate HC for Haryana demanded
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Dec 4 — The District Bar Association, Jagadhri, resolved to suspend their work today to show solidarity with the advocates all over Haryana.

Mr Rameshwar Singh, President, District Bar Association, Jagadhri, said that it was unanimously decided to request the government for a separate High Court in Haryana.

He said that new states like Uttrakhand, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand had succeeded in getting their respective high courts and added that a separate high court would go a long way in providing timely justice to the people of the state. It would also be a boost for legal administration in the state.

Lawyers strike work
From Our Correspondent

HISAR, Dec 4 — Local lawyers observed a strike today in support of their demand for the setting up of a separate high court for Haryana.

The call for the strike had been given by the Sangharsh Samiti. The samiti was formed last month by office-bearers of all district bar councils of the state to launch a state-level agitation in this regard.

Work in the local courts remained suspended. The striking lawyers also held a meeting and resolved that their agitation would continue till their demand was met. The lawyers said they would seek public support on the issue to put pressure on political parties of the state.

They alleged that the Centre had provided separate high courts to the three newly formed states but Haryana had been neglected for the past 34 years.

Accident toll rises to 6
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Dec 4 — The death toll in the tanker-tractor collision which took place on Saturday near Palwal in this district, has risen to six, with two more succumbing to their injuries in hospital. As many as 30 persons had been injured.

The victims were returning after grieving the death of a relative. It is reported that the tanker which was “overspeeding” hit the tractor-trailer from behind overturning it.

Narayan Singh, Kashmiri, Rajesh and Durga died on the spot, while Budhi and Leela died in the hospital.

All victims were residents of Ferozepur village near Palwal. The injured include Manveer, Suresh, Srichand, Gajraj, Ramesh, Chhidi, Saroj, Sumer, Jaipal, Harvati, Kamlesh, Santa, Deep Chand and Beek Chand.

Two arrested in fraud case
From Our Correspondent

SIRSA, Dec 4 — Two persons, including a woman from Delhi, were arrested by the police in a cheating case. With these arrests, the police has busted a gang of cheaters who reportedly took Rs 40 lakh from certain persons on the pretext of sending them abroad.

According to the police chief today, Sangeeta Bhatia and Amrit Pal Bhatia, residents of Lajpat Nagar in Delhi, were arrested on the complaint of Dalwinder of Ottu village. They have been sent in one-day police remand.

In his complaint, Dalwinder Singh said he wanted to go to the USA and met Pal Singh of Kutabgarh village who called Amit Aggarwal from Delhi to Sirsa for this purpose. Meanwhile, Malkeet Singh of Rania, Charanjeet and Harnek of Gobindpura and Mono Pal of Ellenabad also wanted to go to the USA. All of them met Amit Aggarwal who promised to send them to the USA and get them jobs for a sum of Rs 8 lakh each, out of which 2 lakh had to be paid in advance. They paid him the advance following and a call from him two days later, they went to Delhi with Rs 6 lakh each. There they met Sangeeta Bhatia, Amrit Bhatia, Amit Aggarwal, K.K. Sharma and Lalit Anand. Sangeeta gave them photostat copies of their passports and asked them for the balance which they paid.

They were made to stay in a hotel with an assurance that within a day or two they would be sent to the USA. When a week passed, they became suspicious and visited the place where they had met Sangeeta. However, no one was there.

Inter-state gang of dacoits busted
Tribune News Service

GURGAON, Dec 4 — The district police last night nabbed four members of an inter-state gang in the Farukh Nagar area while they were planning to loot a petrol station.

According to the district police chief, Mr Shatrujit Kapur, acting on a tip off, a police party raided the spot. Two members of the gang decamped under the cover of darkness.

Those arrested, including the leader of the gang, are residents of Delhi, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

According to Mr Kapur, the gang operated in Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The gang also indulged in stealing electric wires from the poles. They used to transport the wires by a truck. The truck used in the operations has also been impounded.

The gang was active in Gurgaon, Farukh Nagar, Jhajjhar, Bahadurgarh and Pataudi areas in the state.

Vegetable seller murdered
From Our Correspondent

FARIDABAD, Dec 4 — A vegetable seller was allegedly murdered by two persons at a village near Palwal in this district last night. No arrest has been made so far.

According to police sources, the victim identified as Satyavan (28) had been running a vegetable shop at the Bamnikhera village bus stand. The suspects identified as Netram and Sisram allegedly took him with them and after “offering” him liquor, they strangulated him. A case has been registered under Sections 302 and 304 of the IPC.

In another incident, the police has registered a dowry case against three members of a family of Hassanpur village following the death of a married woman.

Haryana board exams in March
From Our Correspondent

BHIWANI, Dec 4 — The Board of School Education Haryana will hold the middle, matric and senior secondary (academic and vocational) annual examinations-2001 in March.

Disclosing this here today, board secretary R.P. Gupta told mediapersons that matric and senior secondary examinations would begin on March 14 and the middle examinations on March 27.

Sonepat BKU splits
From Our Correspondent

SONEPAT, Dec 4 — The district unit of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) formally split into two groups at a specially convened meeting here yesterday.

Members of the group led by Mr Kabool Singh boycotted the meeting whereas members of the group led by Mr Braham Singh Dahiya elected the following as the new office-bearers of the union: president — Mr Ranbir Singh Malik; vice-president — Mr Mangat Ram; and general secretary — Mr Braham Singh Dahiya.

Woman, child die in road mishap
From Our Correspondent

YAMUNANAGAR, Dec 4 — A 24-year-old woman and her three-year-old child died in a road accident today on the Yamunanagar-Jagadhri highway. According to information received here, Sulochana, along with her husband Surinder Kumar and her child, was going on a scooter when it was hit by a truck (No HR 38-5258).

The child died on the spot while Sulochana and her husband were admitted to Civil Hospital, Yamunanagar, where he succumbed to her injuries.