 |
| Friday,
December 15, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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MDU VC to decide on bogus degree
case DRI scheme almost
defunct Panel raps HVPN for
inefficiency Five of family commit
suicide Relatives allege man killed by
in-laws Resume duty or face action, postal staff
told |
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Haryana releases
DA instalment Move to abandon
trauma project decried Dangi case: court
order to police Lawyers’ help sought to end
corruption Dairies being shunted out of
Ambala Jharkhand Speaker
meets Kadiyan VC opens college
exhibition CM to open plant
clinic on Dec 24 Woman, kids
jump before train, die Villagers force
school closure NET on Dec 24 Dalit burnt
to death Judicial remand
for criminal Steps to eradicate
congress grass Bank employee
found dead Cops’ recruitment
from Dec 20
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MDU VC to decide on bogus degree
case ROHTAK, Dec 14 — The executive council of Maharshi Dayanand University has passed the buck to the Vice-Chancellor by authorising him to decide the — most controversial — case of an Assistant Security Officer, Balraj Singh, who was placed under suspension and later dismissed on the charge of getting employment on the basis of a bogus bachelor’s degree. The council shouldered the responsibility on the Vice-Chancellor, Maj-Gen Bhim Singh Suhag (retd) with regard to verification of the latest mark-sheet produced by the man at its meeting held here on December 11. Balraj Singh got admission to MA (Hindi) in the university in 1988 by producing a BA degree obtained from Delhi University. Following a complaint, the university administration initiated an inquiry into the verification of his degree and found it to be bogus. Consequently, his result was cancelled. Later, Balraj joined the university as an employee in 1991 on the basis of another bachelor’s degree from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, Bihar. After separate inquiries conducted by the university authorities, including the then Controller of Examinations, Mr V.P. Mehta, this degree was also proved to be fake. As a result, Balraj was placed under suspension in June 1994 and later dismissed in October 1995 during the tenure of the then Vice-Chancellor, Mr Vivek Chand Sharma. The non-teaching employees of the university went on strike in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands in 1996. After some time a high-powered committee of the university reached an agreement with the striking employees and as per the pact the Vice-Chancellor reinstated the services of Balraj under Section 9-A (5) of the University Act. The executive council at a meeting held in November 1996 approved the reinstatement and directed that Balraj should be given six months time from the date of reinstatement to get his BA result declared afresh from Magad University. The candidate got his result declared afresh in the stipulated period and the mark-sheet (with a different roll number) was declared genuine by Magadh University. The Vice-Chancellor referred the matter to the council. Meanwhile, it is alleged the university administration is adopting different standards in dealing with such cases. On the one hand the university authorities are providing every opportunity to Balraj Singh to prove his degree genuine while on the other they have turned a deaf ear to the repeated requests of Deepak Rathi to consider his case. Deepak Rathi was also dismissed on the charge of producing fake bachelor’s degree of Sampoornanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. In several letters written to the university administration Deepak Rathi claimed the university concerned had declared his degree genuine after an inquiry and had written a number of letters to Maharshi Dayanand University in this connection which were ignored by the university. He offered that he would withdraw the court case filed against the university if his services were restored. |
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DRI scheme almost
defunct ROHTAK, Dec 14 — The social security scheme launched on an all-India basis by the Centre in 1972 to help poorer among the poor earn a livelihood has virtually become defunct over the years. This was, incidentally, the first such scheme that was launched by the Indira Gandhi Government after the nationalisation of leading commercial banks in 1969, to financially help the small farmers who owned not more than one acre of irrigated or 2.5 acres of unirrigated land. Under the scheme, the persons belonging to Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes or engaged in collection of fodder, forest products and in cottage and rural industries could raise a composite loan of Rs 6500 at the differential rate of interest (DRI) of 4 per cent per annum. Physically handicapped persons and indegent meritorious students keen on higher studies were also eligible to avail of this loan from nationalised banks. No margin or collateral security and third-party guarantee was required to raise loan under this project, which was popularly called the DRI scheme. No subsidy was admissible on the loan amount under this scheme. Any person, whose annual family income was up to Rs 11000 in rural areas and Rs 11850 in urban and semi-urban areas was also eligible to avail of a loan under the DRI scheme. The repayment was to be made in five years (including grace period of two years). The government plans envisaged that advances under the DRI for banks shall be at least 1 per cent of the total priority sector lending at the end of the previous year on an ongoing basis. A minimum of 40 per cent of the advances under the scheme were reserved for the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and the remaining to be disbursed through the rural or semi-urban branches of the banks. While reviewing the loans advanced by various banks in Rohtak district, it was revealed that loaning under the DRI has virtually come to a halt. Analysing the reasons for poor performance of the banks under the DRI scheme, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rajesh Khullar, told The Tribune that over the past 20 to 25 years many more schemes had been introduced by the government to help the poor under the DRDA plans. The new schemes offer more attractive loan amount on which subsidy component was also provided. Ironically, no government department pursues loaning under the DRI scheme. Mr Khullar disclosed that total loaning under the DRI has come down to less than 1 per cent not only in Rohtak but even all over India. He has, however, advised the banks in the district to finance at-least one case every month. |
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Panel raps HVPN for
inefficiency CHANDIGARH, Dec 14 — The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has come down heavily on the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam(HVPN) for its inefficiency in its second annual revenue requirement report in which the commission has issued warning signals to the nigam about its financial viability. Expressing concern about the inability of the HVPN to pay its dues to the power supplies like the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC), the commission said in the recent past the HVPN converted the arrears worth Rs 550 crore due to the two corporations into bonds. The commission noted: Such action apart from posing a problem of repayment at a later date, puts an additional burden on the consumers by way of annual interest amounting to Rs 69.22 crore. The commission, which also passed its first tariff order regarding the transmission and bulk power supply business conducted by the HVPN for 2000-2001, for the first time in the history of the state, has unbundled the transmission and bulk supply tariffs. Allowing a total revenue requirement of Rs 32,855.69 million as against the revised HVPN estimate of Rs 35,188.83 million, the commission fixed the tariff of Rs 37 per kw of connected load and a variable charge of Rs 1.98 per kw. If the HVPN wheels power for any third party through its transmission system, it has been authorised to charge 29 paise per kw of the power wheeled. The commission also regretted that despite its repeated stress on the importance of installing inter-face meters at the points of supply of power the distribution companies by the HVPN, the nigam had not been able to achieve much in this direction. It fixed July, 2001, as the new deadline for instaling inter-face meters. Coming down heavily on Haryana Power Generation Corporation (HPGCL) for its higher cost of production, the commission noticed that the power supplied by the corporation to the HVPN was 20 per cent of the total power purchased by the latter. But its cost was 28 per cent of the cost of the total power purchased by the HVPN, which indicated that the HPGCL power was costlier than those supplied by the other sources. The report said since no power purchase agreement had been signed by the HVPN with the HPGCL so far, the commission had no opportunity to see whether the cost of generation of the HPGCL was efficient. The commission has fixed intra-state transmission losses of the Haryana system at 5 per cent. It hoped that it would enable the HVPN to take effective steps to reduce transmission losses, leading to less burden on the consumer. Taking a serious note of the
diversion of provident fund of the employees by the HVPN, the commission directed it to keep the interest on the provident fund liability separately and invest it prudently so as to earn a lucrative return for the employees. Asking the HVPN to obtain a ruling from the Employees Provident Fund Commission about the applicability of the employees provident funds and Misc. Provisions Act, 1952, to the HVPN, the commission asked the nigam not to divert the provident fund to any another business. The commission also asked the HVPN to give it information regarding unserviceable goods as well as those goods in its store which had not been used for more than three years. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the commission will take another 10 days to decide the application of the HVPN to increase power tariff for all categories of consumers. |
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Five of family commit
suicide BHIWANI, Dec 14 — Five members of a family allegedly committed suicide whereas the eldest member died after hearing the news of this shocking incident at Misri village in Charkhi Dadri subdivision yesterday. The village shocked over the suicides later cremated Rampal (35), his wife Sudesh (30), daughter Kanta (13), sons Anil (9) and Ashish (7). Rampal was an Army personnel but he had not joined his duty since Divali. When the father broke the door locked from inside in the morning, he was shocked to see the body of his son Rampal hanging from the ceiling while Sudesh and her three children were found dead on a bed. It is presumed that Rampal had poisoned his family before hanging himself. The shocked father, too later died of heart attack. The police has recovered a note from the pocket of Rampal, in which he had written that no one was responsible for the suicides. The police also found a sum of Rs 1000 which, the deceased has mentioned to spend on their cremation. The police is investigating the matter. |
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Relatives allege man killed by
in-laws FATEHABAD, Dec 14 — Relatives of Bhajan Singh, a resident of Alwar in Rajasthan, who died under mysterious circumstances near Bhirdana village in this district on December 2, have been running from pillar to post to bring to book those who are allegedly responsible for his death. The body of Bhajan Singh was found hanging in a dry well. The victim was married to a school teacher in Bhirdana and had estranged relations with his wife. A case regarding this is pending in a court of law. The victim’s kin allege Bhajan Singh was done to death by his in-laws. Mr Sarup Singh, an uncle of the victim, along with some other relatives met the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik, and the SP, Mr Hanif Qureshi, today and alleged the local police was working hand in glove with the accused and had neither registered a case under proper Sections of the IPC nor had it tried to arrest the accused. Bhajan Singh, according to his relatives, was married to Gurmeet Kaur, a school teacher, in 1997. The SP when contacted said the police was waiting for the outcome of the post-mortem report. He said the investigation by the police had ruled out any conspirancy angle. However, he said suitable action would be taken if the analyst’s report on the visoera gave any indication of the conspiracy. The arrest, if any, would be made only after that, he added. |
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Resume duty or face action, postal staff
told AMBALA , Dec 14 — The Chief Post Master General, Haryana Circle, Mr T R Sharma, today said in 1854, the postal department was organised as a separate department of the then Government of India. In its history of 146 years, the present strike, happens to be the longest strike.Mr Sharma, through a press note, said in the recent years, the frequency of all India postal strikes has increased. ‘‘In 1998, nine days postal strike was from August 8, ’98 to August 16, ’98. Under the agreement, the strike period was treated as leave. During 1996, seven days strike took place from October 23, ’96 to October 29, ’96. This strike period was also treated as leave,’’ he said. He said that in 1993, there was four days postal strike from December 7, ’93 to December 10, ’93. ‘‘During this period, the principal of ‘No work no pay’ was enforced. In 1968, when Posts and Telegraph was a single department, one day strike call was given for September 19, 1968. In view of the essential nature of the combined P&T services then, ESMA was enforced and P&T services were not allowed to be disrupted,’’ he said. Mr Sharma said the government as a model employer has been very liberal in ensuring welfare of its employees. ‘‘Inconvenience caused to the public is regretted. It is hoped that now the present strike will be called off soon,’’ he said. ‘‘On the direction received from the Department of Posts, New Delhi, representatives of circle unions were called and made aware of the direction of Delhi High Court,’’ the press note added. Meanwhile, Ambala Cantt MLA, Mr Anil Vij today while addressing a gathering in front of the main post office, said that the demands of the postal employees were old. He demanded that the demands of the postal employees must be implemented at the earliest, a release said. AIPEU leader, Mr Ramesh Kumar, said that they are peacefully continuing the strike which entered the 10th day today. |
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Haryana releases
DA instalment CHANDIGARH, Dec 14 — The Haryana Government today released another instalment of dearness allowance to its employees on the central pattern with effect from July 1. Now the employees would get dearness allowance at the rate of 41 per cent of their basic pay, thus registering an increase of 3 per cent in the dearness allowance. The Haryana Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh, said the employees would get this enhanced dearness allowance in cash from November this year. The arrears from July to October, this year, would be credited to the GPF accounts of the employees. He added that those employees who opted to retain the pre-revised scales of pay or drawing pay in the unrevised scale after January 1, 1996, the rate of dearness allowance in their cases from July 1 this year would be the same as applicable to the employees who had been drawing the revised pay scales. However, while calculating the dearness allowance at the rate of 41 per cent in such cases, the components like basic pay, dearness allowance applicable on January 1, 1996, that is 148 per cent, 111 per cent and 96 per cent, as the case may be, interim relief I and II would be taken into account. |
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Move to abandon
trauma project decried ROHTAK, Dec 14 — Former Chief Minister and Haryana Vikas Party president Bansi Lal has condemned the government’s move to abandon the trauma centre project in the Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS here. In a statement here yesterday, Mr Bansi Lal said he was shocked to see reports that the government had decided to discard the project on the plea that it would be of no use. Reacting to the allegation that crores were spent unnecessarily on the project by the Bansi Lal government, the HVP leader said it was started after deliberations with medical experts from various parts of the country. He said the project was started for the welfare of the public and it should not be abandoned on account of political differences. He appealed to the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, to reconsider his decision. |
Jharkhand Speaker
meets Kadiyan CHANDIGARH, Dec 14 — A delegation from Jharkhand comprising the Speaker of the vidhan sabha, Mr Inder Singh Namdhari and Sports Minister, Mr Vaidya Nath Ram, met the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Mr Satbir Singh Kadiyan for stydying the new sports policy being adopted by the Haryana Government. Others who attended the meeting were Mr Ashok Arora, Haryana Transport Minister, Mr Naresh Gulati, Commissioner and Secretary, Sports and Youth Welfare Department and Dr B.K. Sinha, Director of the Sports and Youth Welfare Department. Mr Gulati apprised the delegation of the details of the sports schemes being launched by the Haryana Government and Dr Sinha informed the delegation regarding the establishment of sports complexes in the State and the State Sports Academy in Hisar. |
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Dangi case: court
order to police ROHTAK, Dec 14 — The District and Sessions Judge, Mr R.S. Madan, today ruled that the Ambala police should approach the special judge here with fresh production warrants if the former Revenue Minister, Mr Anand Singh Dangi, is required to be produced in a court in Ambala. It may be recalled that the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ambala, had issued production warrants against the Dangi addressed to Mr D.N. Beniwal, Jail Superintendent, Rohtak, that the Dangi be produced before the court tomorrow. The Ambala police got the warrants issued by the CJM in connection with two different FIRs lodged in Ambala. The jail superintendent had also approached the court for instructions regarding the warrants. Mr Madan said the final decision in this regard could only be taken by the Special Judge, Mr Shiva Sharma. |
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Lawyers’ help sought to end
corruption HISAR, Dec 14 — The District and Sessions Judge, Mr Nawab Singh, has sought lawyers’ help to end corruption in courts. He was addressing members of the Bar Association here yesterday. He lauded the decision of the lawyers of not giving bribes to court employees. He also praised the employees’ decision of not accepting bribes. Mr Nawab Singh said that advocates were an important part of the judiciary and without their help it was impossible to end corruption in the judicial system. He also assured the lawyers that they would get all facilities extended to them under directions of the high court. He said it was their right to inspect court case files and he would issue direction to the court employees in this regard. Earlier, office-bearers of the Bar Association had complained that the court employees were not cooperating with them in their routine functioning. They had alleged that the employees were not allowing junior lawyers to inspect case files on various pretexts. |
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Dairies being shunted out of
Ambala AMBALA The proposed dairy project could well be the first of its kind in Haryana. A proposal for the project has already been forwarded to higher authorities. An official said 40 acres on the Jagadhari road has been earmarked for the project. He said the dairy project envisages allotting plots on the basis of the existing size of the dairy, maintaining grazing areas, building of water bodies like johads and a veterinary centre. A team of officials had visited Ludhiana to study the dairy project. Incidentally, the local dairy owners today met the Executive Officer, Ambala Sadar, Mr S. Goel, who informed them about the steps being taken. Mr Goel, said in the past two days, the Municipal Council had issued about 200 challans to, among others, dairy owners. “I informed the dairy owners that they will not tie the cattle and put dung cakes wherever they want. I also told them that the cattle should not be taken to the dairies from the main road,” he said. Mr Goel said the dairy owners have agreed in principle to various suggestions put forth by them. Balbir, a local dairy owner said it would not be easy to implement the guidelines suggested by the Municipal Council. “But we want time since the fines imposed by the Municipal Council are very steep and we need to make alternative arrangements for conforming to the new guidelines,” he said. Another dairy owner opined it would be much easier if alternative land was allotted to them close to the city. “Once the whole system is according to the government plan, then there will be no problem. But now, there are dairies everywhere in the area and the larger dairies will not find it easy to immediately adopt the proposed guidelines,” he said. |
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VC opens college
exhibition KAITHAL, Dec 14 — Mr R.S. Chaudhry, Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, inaugurated an exhibition organised by the political science department of R.K.S.D. College here today. Through 600 charts put up in this exhibition, the novel features of the Indian Constitution and the achievements and weaknesses of the prevail political system were depicted. The exhibition was divided into separate parts. In one section the charts containing information regarding geography political set-up, population and agriculture in various states and union territories were put up. In another section, charts giving information regarding fundamental rights, Directive Principles of state policy, moral duties, functioning of Parliament, judicial system, state Assemblies, election system, centre-state relationship and various other aspects showing economic, social and political developments were exhibited. |
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CM to open plant
clinic on Dec 24 HISAR, Dec 14 — The Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, will inaugurate a Rs 26 lakh Plant Clinic at Haryana Agricultural University here on December 24. Announcing this, the Vice-Chancellor, Mr Vinay Kumar, said that the clinic would help identify plant diseases and suggest remedial measures for their control. It would also have arrangements for soil testing and guidance for agronomic practices. The clinic also has an audio-visual laboratory for visiting farmers where they can apprise themselves of the latest farm practices. Attending this clinic would be compulsory for all agricultural graduates of the university, he added. |
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Woman, kids
jump before train, die REWARI, Dec 14 — Maya Devi (25) along with her daughter Anshu (3) and son Monu (1), committed suicide by jumping before the Delhi-bound Bikaner Express near Dahina station, 24 km from here, last evening. The deceased was the wife of Ajay Kumar, a resident of Kanwali village, 24 km from here. The cause of the tragedy could not be ascertained. The postmortem examination of the bodies was conducted at the civil hospital today. In another incident, Abhey Singh (38), a resident of Bohatwas Bhondru village of Jatusana block of this district, died on the spot when his motorcycle was hit by an oil tanker yesterday. He was an employee of the Forest Department. A case has been registered. |
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Villagers force
school closure FARIDABAD, Dec 14 — Unhappy over the shortage of teachers and problem of absenteeism among the staff, residents of a nearby village forced the closure of the government school. According to reports reaching here, the agitated residents, including the sarpanch and some panches of Baghola village, found only two teachers present in the school after a supervision. The school has seven teachers on its rolls against the required strength of about 16. It is learnt that hardly half of the present number of teachers come to school regularly. The villagers are unhappy over the functioning of the school. They claim the teachers have failed to complete the syllabus of all classes. The residents of the village have also demanded transfer of the Principal of the school to improve its
functioning. |
NET on Dec 24 KURUKSHETRA, Dec 14 — The UGC-NET for Junior Research Fellowship and eligibility for lecturership will be held in the University Campus here on December 24, the Coordinator (NET) of Kurukshetra University, Mr Ramesh Sharma, said here today. He said due to the continuing strike of postal staff and keeping in view the possibility of non-delivery of admit cards and roll numbers to candidates, it has been decided that all the candidates should contact the Coordinator for the issue of duplicate admit cards. |
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Dalit burnt
to death JHAJJAR, Dec 14 — A 42-year-old Dalit man was burnt alive allegedly by the Sarpanch and his family members at Ismailapur village in the district yesterday. The police has arrested Sarpanch Hoshiar Singh and his four relatives in this case. A fued between deceased Lal Singh and the Sarpanch, who is also a Dalit, over out-turn of water of alley ways is stated to be the reason behind the incident. |
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Judicial remand
for criminal ROHTAK, Dec 14 — Krishan, who was wanted by the police in several cases of murder and kidnapping, was brought here yesterday from Tihar jail and produced in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him in judicial custody till December 26. DSP Jai Narayan Ranga said Krishan, who belonged to Dichau village in Delhi, was involved in murder conspiracies. He was also involved in the murders of Raju Dahiya, secretary, Jat Education Society and his friend, Jitendra in June. A month after the crime, Wajir alias Mota was shot dead at the Kalhawar bypass here. The murder were allegedly committed by Baru Ram of nearby Ismaila village at the behest of Krishan. Baru Ram was a jawan in the BSF. The DSP said Krishan also directed his accomplice, Joginder to demand a ransom of Rs 10 lakh from the owner of the local Madras Hotel a few months ago. |
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Steps to eradicate
congress grass PANIPAT, Dec 14 — Expressing concern over growing meanace of congress grass (parthenium), the Haryana Environment Department has issued guidelines to the Deputy Commissioners to chalk out a programme for initiating measures for eradication of the weed. According to official sources, the guidelines stress on awareness of the problem and its mechanical control. To have effective control over this weed, it is important that the people are made aware of harmful effects and growth behaviour. |
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Bank employee
found dead FARIDABAD, Dec 14 — The body of a bank employee was found from an underground water tank in his house here today. The deceased has been identified as C. Anand (55). He was reportedly missing since yesterday. The body was found when one of the family members was taking water out of the tank. |
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Cops’ recruitment
from Dec 20 HISAR, Dec 14 — The process for recruiting 15 constables of the Haryana Armed Police from the ex-servicemen’s category will begin from December 20, it was officially stated here today. A police spokesman said candidates were required to report for registration latest by 1 pm on that day. They would be given registration numbers for participating in the physical tests. Ten of these posts are available in the general category while the remaining five posts are reserved for Scheduled Castes. |
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Public opinion
against dowry BHIWANI, Dec 14 — The local Arya Samaj has decided to create a public opinion against foeticide and honour the person who gets married without accepting the dowry. A resolution in this respect was adopted at a conference of the Samaj activists held here yesterday at Rajput Dharamshala. The chief guest, Mr Justice R.N. Mittal, Punjab and Haryana High Court, in whose presence the resolution was based released a cassette on the life of Swami Shradhanand. |
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