 |
| Sunday, December 24, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
|
New power tariff
rates
HVPN performance poor: panel Another suspected
polio case detected Gallantry awards presented Shops sealed, house
tax recovered |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
BJP’s Kaithal
unit constituted Cattle breeding project
approved Maimed farmers
given relief Hartron counselling
from Jan 3 Seven held while
planning robbery Roadways checking
staff attacked
|
|
New power tariff
rates Chandigarh, Dec 23 — The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission today announced the revised power tariff rates for the state. Addressing a press conference at the HERC office at Panchkula, Mr V.S. Ailawadi, Chairman , said that on the whole the increase in tariff had been of the order of 11.3 per cent, which the commission felt was reasonable, given that the revision was taking place after two and a half years. The HERC had directed the state government to implement the new tariff from January 1, 2001. The new tariff structure introduced telescopic tariff (slab system) for domestic consumers. The domestic consumers would now have to pay 260 paise per unit for up to 40 units of electricity consumption, 360 paise per unit for consumption of 41 to 300 units and 425 paise per unit for more than 300 units of consumption. The Chairman said that 40 units of power at the rate of 260 paise per unit would be available to all categories of consumers. Those using marginally above 40 units would benefit from this step as they would be charged the next rate, for the electricity used by them in addition to 40 units. The existing rate for domestic consumers is 191 paise per unit for up to 40 units. Those consuming more than 40 units are charged at the rate of 306 paise per unit, including the first 40 units used by them. In the agricultural sector the increase is 12 paise per unit for the four categories of metered consumers. For the un-metered consumers, those having tubewells up to 100 ft depth now give tariff at the fixed rate of Rs 65 per month. Farmers with tubewells with a depth between 101 ft and 150 ft , give Rs 50 per month, between 151 ft and 200 ft, Rs 40 and with tubewells with more than 200 ft depth, Rs 30 per month. Under the new structure, these four categories will, respectively, give Rs 100, Rs 75, Rs 60 and Rs 45. For direct irrigation tubewells, the rate has been increased to 400 paise per unit from the existing 50 paise per unit. For augmentation canals and lift irrigation also the rates have been increased to 400 paise per unit from the existing 208 paise. For all three categories of HT (high tension) industry, the new tariff rates are 409 paise per unit, which is 17 paise more than the existing 392 paise. The LT industries (less than 70 kw) have been subjected to a raise of 33 paise. Non-domestic consumers will pay 419 paise per unit from the existing rate of 392 paise. All three categories of bulk consumers will pay 419 paise per unit under the new tariff structure. The existing rates for them were 277 for bulk domestic, 359 for bulk non-domestic and 392 for bulk other categories. The supply for streetlighting also becomes dearer by 23 paise as the rates have been increased to 415 paise per unit from the existing 392 paise per unit. All three categories of power consumption for public water works have been increased to 400 paise per unit from the existing 392 paise. The only reduction was in bulk railway traction, for which the rate was lowered to 385 paise per unit from the existing 392 paise. On the sensitive issue of subsidy to the agricultural sector, the HERC Chairman said that despite the state government subsidy of Rs 613.08 crore and a cross subsidy of Rs 152.02 crore by the HERC to this sector, there would be a shortfall of Rs 156.22 crore subsidy. Since the Haryana Government would not be able to pay the money right now, the HERC would treat the amount as deferred payment liability of the government, he said. It was not possible to withdraw subsidy from the farm sector all of a sudden, Mr Ailawadi said and added that it would have to be a gradual process. He added that the HERC allocated cross subsidy of Rs 142.6 crore for the domestic sector as well. Even after providing cross subsidy for the domestic sector, the revenue gap for this sector would be Rs 365 crore, he said. Domestic consumers would get a cross subsidy of 54 paise per unit while consumers with agricultural pump-sets would get a cross subsidy of 54 paise, and 274 paise per unit subsidy from the state government, the HERC Chairman said, adding that the cross subsidy for the farm sector and the domestic sector would come from industrial consumers. The new tariff rates would bring an additional revenue of Rs 278.63 crore to the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN), the Chairman said. He said that the total revenue of the HVPN at the existing rate came to about Rs 2,460 crore. Meanwhile, even as the Congress criticised “the heavy increase in the power tariff”, Mr Ailawadi disclosed that none of the political parties came up with any affidavit when the public hearings on the proposed rates of tariff were being held in the state. He said that consumer forums, the PHD Chamber of Commerce as well as industry associations recorded their objections at the public hearings which were held in the state following the submission of the tarrif application by the HVPN to the HERC in July. An official spokesman also pointed out that of the six increases in power tariff in Haryana since 1992, the latest hike was the lowest in percentage terms. |
|
HVPN performance poor: panel CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) has criticised the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) for poor performance in various areas which is also leading to an increasing burden on the consumers. The summary of the HERC’s order on Annual Revenue Requirement of the HVPN, said that despite the claim for recovery of arrears made by the HVPN, it has been observed that during the past 19 months, it has added Rs 227.86 crore of receivables, showing an increase of only 30 per cent. The HERC said that the performance indicated deteriorating efficiency in collection of dues, posing a serious threat to the financial viability of the distribution agency. The commission put on record its concern at the alarming rise in receivables for sale of power (from Rs 758.64 crore on August 14, 1998, to Rs 986.50 crore on March 31, 2000) due to laxity and lack of initiative on the part of the HVPN in the collection of dues. “The licensee (HVPN) should realise that this situation is bound to weaken its financial position leading to its financial non-viability threatening its very existence”, it said. The HERC also asked the HVPN to show the realisation of the dues of the current year separately from the realisation of arrears of previous years to avoid confusion. The HERC also pulled up the HVPN for not indicating any cost for free supply of power to its employees despite showing a total of 63.55 MU( million units) free units in its sales forecast for 2000-01. The commission estimated that if 31,231 employees were supplied on average 95 units per month, about 35.6 MU of power would be consumed, the cost of which came to about Rs 11 crore. The commission suggested the HVPN to charge its employees for the full units consumed by them and they could later claim reimbursement from the HVPN for the free units. The same procedure could apply to the employees of Haryana Power Generation Corporation Ltd (HPGCL) who are also supplied a certain number of free units every month, the HERC said. The commission also assessed that the distribution losses by the HVPN during the supply of power were more than 35 per cent which were largely due to inefficiencies and pilferage. It said that passing the burden of such losses to honest consumers could not be allowed. The commission ordered that any efficiency gains made by the licensee through reduction of distribution should be shared between the HVPN and the consumers in the ratio of 6 : 4. The commission also expressed concern about the rising trend in loans for working capital and declining loans for capital expenditure. “The working capital loans are necessitated due to inefficiency in collection of dues and increasing commercial losses including theft of power,” it observed. The HERC directed the HVPN that surcharge waived should not be booked as expense. It should be shown as negative entry in the receivables for surcharges with corresponding adjustment under the relevant head of account. The commission also expressed concern at the delay in the replacement of a large number of defective meters.” Because of the failure of the HVPN to replace the defective meters, it is losing revenue heavily and due to this indifference, all consumers have to bear an unnecessary increase in the cost of power,” it said. |
|
|
Drive against power
theft yields 4.87 lakh SONEPAT, Dec 23 — The campaign launched by the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) to check power theft in Sonepat circle has yielded good results. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Sudhir Rajpal, told mediapersons here today that the officials of the nigam had checked as many as 1,771 premises of the consumers and detected 300 cases of power theft during the current month. The officials imposed a penalty of Rs 12 lakh on the erring consumers but recovered Rs 4.87 lakh from them. Thirytwo FIRs were registered against those erring consumers, who failed to deposit the penalty. |
|
Another suspected
polio case detected FATEHABAD, Dec 23 — The detection of a suspected case of polio at Kalotha village in this district has put a question mark on the claims of the health authorities regarding the success of their intensive pulse polio campaign. This is the second case of suspected polio detected in the district in the current year. Two-year-old Reeta of Kalotha village in this district was brought to the local General Hospital on Thursday with paralysis of limbs. She was in a very critical condition. The doctors at the hospital advised her family to shift Reeta to some private hospital. The child is at present getting treatment at the local Jaipur Children Hospital. Dr Pawan Mehta of the children hospital, when contacted said that prima facie it appeared to be a case of polio. But it would be confirmed when they got the report of stool examination. He said a sample of the stool was taken on Thursday. Two more samples would be taken and sent for examination. Only after the report of the stool examination the doctors would be able to judge whether it was a case of polio or of guiallen barri syndrome — an ailment, the symptoms of which, resembled polio. A case of suspected polio was detected at Bhattu Kalan block in this district earlier this year but the child died before her stool could be tested. |
|
Gallantry awards presented AMBALA, Dec 23 — On May 22, 1999, during Operation Vijay, while returning from an airshoot engaging enemy mortar positions, Col Surinder Pal Singh of the Army Aviation Corps narrowly escaped being hit by an enemy missile. Despite his fuel state being critical, he picked up a casualty on his way back from a 60 degree slope, manoeuvring his chopper in treacherous terrain and in restricted space. On May 25 he inducted troops to occupy Point 5600 despite being under artillery and machine gun fire. Then on May 30, dodging rocket-propelled grenades and machinegun fire, he carried out an effective recce and made a trial landing at Jubar Heights, 15,000 feet above the sea level to drop crucial equipment and supplies, which proved to be a turning point in the battle against the Pakistani intruders. Besides, 21 air maintenance sorties by him enabled the Army to launch a successful offensive to capture Point 4812 and an adjoining feature. This is just one tale of gallantry and indominitable spirit, which came forth at the Western Command Investiture Ceremony, organised here today. Behind the roll of honour lies a saga of valour and sacrifice, as 76 Sena Medals, nine of them posthumous, bear testimony. Besides, six Yudh Seva Medals (YSM), five Vishisht Seva Medals (VSM) and two Bars to VSM were also awarded to Army personnel. The YSM is awarded for “distinguished service of a high order during war, conflict or hostilities”, while the VSM is awarded for “distinguished service”. The Sena Medal is a recognition of “such acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army”. The awards were presented by the GOC-in-C, Western Command, Lieut-Gen Surjit Singh. The Sena Medal recipients included 13 JCOs and 26 other ranks. Of the 32 officers, including four Army doctors, decorated with the SM, only five are from the Infantry. All awards presented today were for the gallantry and devotion to duty shown during Operation Vijay and in ongoing counter insurgency operations. Those awarded the SM posthumously were Sub Tarlok Singh, Sub N.S. Bhullar, Hav Gurmeet Singh, Hav Tarsem Singh and Lance-Naik Satwinder Singh (all from 20 Punjab), Naik Ashwani Singh (9 Para), Ptr Gopal Singh (7 Para), Gnr Dilbagh Singh (Artillery) and Rfn Mohammad Pareed (12 JAK LI). While those from 20 Punjab had died during the counter insurgency operations in Rajouri Sector, others were killed in the Kargil Sector during Operation Vijay. The medals were received by their next of kin. Those awarded the Yudh Seva Medal included Brig Amarjeet Singh Sekhon (Infantry), Col Sanjay Saran (Artillery), Col Dinesh Kumar Badola (2 Naga), Lieut-Col Dinesh P. Naikavade (JAK Rifles), Lieut-Col Amarjeet Singh Chandhoke (JAK Rifles) and Major Arup Ratan Basu (AMC). Five officers, Major-Gen G.S. Riar (Artillery), Major-Gen N.S. Pathania (Infantry), Brig S.C. Sharma (Infantry), Brig P.S. Mann (Infantry) and Col M.S.S. Krishnan (AOC) were awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal. While two others, Brig Avinash Chander Chopra (Mech Inf) and Col Om Prakash Nehra (Madras) received Bars to the VSM. The Sena Medals were awarded to Brig Chander Mohan Nayar, 3 Arty Bde, Col Surender Pal Singh, 666 R & O Sqn, Col Ravinder Singh Sabharwal, 831 Lt Retd, Col Ajay Sem, Dy Cdr (I) Armd Bde, Col Devender Singh Dadwal, Col ‘A’HO Shimla, Col Arun Kumar Mishra, HC Wing The College of Combat Mhow (MP), Col A.D. Gardner, Dy Cdr 98 Armd Bde, Lieut-Col Kulbir Singh, 24 Inf Div Ord Unit, Lieut-Col Balwinder Singh, ADST HQ PH&HP (I) Sub Area, Lieut-Col Hosiar Singh Rawat, 153 Gh, Lieut-Col Ram Kumar Singh, CHWC, Major Yogender Mukhija, 3 R&O Flt, Major Anil Kumar Jaggi, 21 C 21 RR, Major Dinesh Kumar Bishnoi, 36 RR, Major Jasprit Singh Gujral, 110 Med Regt. The others who were awarded the Sena Medals included Major Anil Joshi, 9 JAK RIF, Major Ranvir Singh, 17 HORSE, Major Rajesh Sharma, 23 R&O Flt, Major Sanjay Dimri, 8 Mtn DSR, Major Nitin Vasant Punde, 139 Med Regt, Major Purendu, 308 Fd Amb, Major Tej Pal Singh, 474 Engr Bde, Capt T. Rajgopal, 32 R & O Flt, Capt Saleem Baduuzzaman Shaikh, 7 R&O Flt, Capt Satinder Singh, 663 R&O Sqn, Capt Rohit Rajpal, 33 R&O Flt, Capt Rakesh Tiwari, 15 Fd Regt, Capt Arun Kumar Rai, CIF Delta, Capt Naresh Kumar Bishnoi, KW Ladakh Scout, Capt Anirudh Chauhan, 11 Raj Rif, Capt Harkamal Atwai, 2 Kumaon, Capt Vijay Kumar, INAGA, Lieut Pardipta Dutta, 130 AD Arty, Sub D Chinnanarayan, 2 Engr Regt, Sub Chhering Phunchok, IW Ladakh Scouts, Sub Udham Singh 244 Hy Mortar Regt, Sub A Anganuthu, 108 Med Regt, Sub Satnam Singh, 9 MAHAR, Sub Surat Singh, 27 AD Regd, Sub Mohinder Paul, 147 AD Regt. Sub Trilok Singh (posthumous), Sub Naunihal Singh Bhullar (posthumous), Naib-Sub Prakash Chand, 21 RR, Naib-Sub Swarn Singh, 71 Task Force, Naib-Sub Tashi Nangial, KK Wg Ladhakh Scout, Naib-Sub Prem Singh, 527 ASC Bn, BHM Bhupender Prasad Singh, 326 Lt Ad Regt, HMT Mahabir, 835 Fd Wksp Coy, Hav Sukhwant Singh, 8 Sikh, Hav Gurwinder Singh, 12 Jakli, Hav Surat Singh, 2 NAGA, Hav Gurmeet Singh (posthumous), Hav Dharampal, HQ 2 Corps, Hav Min Bahadur Gurang, 3/8 GR, Hav Sonavollah Khan, 12 Jakli, Naik Raghvir Singh, 14 Sikh, Naik Ashwani Kumar (posthumous), Naik Adhikrao Baburao, 19 Maratha Li, Naik Raj Singh, 13 Garh Rif, Lance Naik Satwinder Singh (posthumous), Lance Naik Pahal Singh, 27 Rajput, Lance Naik Janbir Singh, 118 Fd Wksp Coy, Lance Naik Paras Ram Dhatwalia, 14 Grenadiers, Lance Naik Balbir Singh, 8 Dogra, Sepoy Kanwalbir Singh, 20 Sikh, Sepoy Virender Singh, 10 Dogra, Sepoy Pargat Singh, 1 Sikh, Rf Mohammed Pareed (posthumous) Rif Kishan Singh, 6 Garh Rif, Gdr Dilbagh Singh (posthumous), Gdr Bijoy Chutia, 110 Med Regt, and Ptr Gopal Singh were also awarded the Sena Medals. |
|
|
Shops sealed, house
tax recovered KAITHAL, Dec 23 — In a special drive launched to recover house tax and rent amounting to Rs 30 lakh, the municipal council authorities sealed seven shops and recovered Rs 3.2 lakh till yesterday evening. The drive was launched as several shopkeepers were not paying the rent and arrears of house tax due to the municipal council. The City Magistrate, Major R.S. Chahal, and Mr Kamal Choudhry, Municipal Council Chairman, led the recovery team comprising municipal staff and police. The campaign started from Palika Bazaar where several shopkeepers closed their shops and fled from the scene. The shopkeepers and other property owners were reluctant to pay rent and house tax inspite of notices issued to them. Some, however, paid their dues. |
|
BJP’s Kaithal
unit constituted KAITHAL, Dec 23 — The district president, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mr Ravi Bhushan Garg constituted the party unit for Kaithal town yesterday. According to a press note issued here, Mr Romesh Gupta, has been appointed president, Mr Mangal Saini and Mr Pardhuman Singh vice-presidents, Mr Prem Chand Goel general secretary, Ms Usha Singhal and Mr Naranjan Dass Sauda secretaries and Mr Pawan Garg treasurer. Besides, a 14-member executive committee has also been constituted. |
|
Cattle breeding project
approved KARNAL, Dec 23 — The Union Agriculture Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, stated here today that the Government of India had recently approved the national project for cattle and buffalo breeding inputs to the farmers at their door steps. This was a 100 per cent centrally funded scheme approved at Rs 4.2 crore. The scheme is based on the socio-economic diversity of the country. Mr Nitish Kumar, who was addressing the convocation of the National Dairy Research Institute NDRI, (deemed university) further stated that after the implementation the project would generate about 14,000 jobs of artificial insemination (AI) practioners in the country. It would also provide fillip to the frozen semen technology, artificial insemination and progeny-testing programmes. The embryo biotechnology was an integral part of the project to produce quality males and females, the minister added. The minister further maintained that in order to supplement Operation Flood, the Union Government had relaunched a centrally sponsored scheme called Integrated Dairy Development Project in hilly and backward areas. Under the scheme dairy cooperation societies, milk-processing procurements and marketing network would be set up along with manpower development and other technical inputs. He further said the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy was launching a programme to create three disease-free zones i.e. zone-1 (Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and 20 districts of western Uttar Pradesh), zone-II (Gujarat) and zone-III (Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. the main focus would be to eliminate foot and mouth disease through saturation vaccination. The annual loss due to this disease in terms of milk alone was estimated to be around Rs 4000 crore. Mr Nitish Kumar asked the students to apply their knowledge in solving the problems confronting the dairy development in the country. He maintained that since 1971, there has been 4.7 per cent annual increase in milk production. The contribution of milk alone to the national exchequer was Rs 82,624 crore. He wanted that as the cost of milk production in India was the lowest in the world, the country should take full advantage of it in the context of global competitiveness. He also desired that the Government of India should protect the domestic food and milk industry against cheap imports. Mr Nitish Kumar pointed out that there was an international resistance by the countries exporting dairy products to create worldwide prejudice against milk products manufactured from buffalo milk. The country should strongly rebut this false notion against buffalo milk. Mr Nitish Kumar wanted that the Dairy Education Programme needed to be further re-oriented. The NDRI with its vast experience and manpower development could certainly provide a lead in this direction. Dr B.N. Mathur, Director of the NDRI, in his report stated that the institute provided high-quality education in the field of dairy farming, which had won recognition at global level. He assured the industry desiring to adopt the new technologies in milk handling to depend on the expertise available with the institute. He stated that the dairy industry need not seek foreign know how in dairy processing. The Director also conferred degrees upon 43 B Tech 76 M Tech and 33 Ph D students in dairy farming. Dr Amrita Patel, Chairperson of the National Dairy Development Board was presented the Doctor of Science
(Honoris Causa) degree. Maimed farmers
given relief KAITHAL, Dec 23 — As many as 40 persons, who were injured while performing agricultural activities, were given compensation of Rs 14.10 lakh by the Deputy Commissioner, Dr Mahavir Singh, at a function here yesterday. The financial assistance was provided by respective market committees through cheques. Dependents of 11 victims who succumbed to their injuries were given Rs 50,000 each. Those who lost their limbs while working on threshers or fodder-cutting machines were given Rs 20,000 each. Those who lost their fingers were given Rs 12,000 while those who sustained minor injuries were given Rs 5,000 each. |
|
Hartron counselling
from Jan 3 CHANDIGARH, Dec 23 — The Haryana Board of Technical Education today announced the counselling schedule for admission to one-year and two-year certificate courses in computer science and one-year course in information technology at Hartron work stations located in Ambala cantonment, Ambala City, Naraingarh, Pinjore, Panchkula, Kalka, Karnal, Panipat, Yamunanagar, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Hisar, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Sonepat, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Faridabad, Narnaul and Chandigarh. An official spokesman said the counselling for Ambala cantonment, Ambala City, Naraingarh and Chandigarh work stations would be held on January 3 at Government Polytechnic, Ambala City, for Pinjore, Panchkula and Kalka on January 4 at Government Polytechnic, Ambala City, for Karnal, Panipat, Yamunanagar, Kaithal and Kurukshetra on January 5 at Government Polytechnic, Nilokheri, for Hisar, Sirsa and Fatehabad on January 6 at GIET, Hisar, for Sonepat on January 8 at GIE, Sonepat, for Rohtak and Bhiwani on January 9 at VTI, Rohtak and for Faridabad and Narnaul on January 10 at Government Polytechnic for Women, Faridabad. |
|
Seven held while
planning robbery JHAJJAR, Dec 23 — The Bahadurgarh police claimed to have arrested seven of the 10 robbers, who were planning a robbery in the modern industrial area in the town today. According to a report, a police team on a tip off raided an abandoned factory and nabbed seven gang members while the other three managed to escape under the cover of darkness. Those arrested are Vijay Kumar, Om Prakash, Ramlakhan, Anil and Chandrabhan, all are from Uttar Pradesh. A case has been registered under Sections 399 and 402 IPC and Arms Act. |
|
Roadways checking
staff attacked JIND, Dec 23 — Checking staff of the Haryana Roadways Depot here were attacked allegedly by drivers and owners of unauthorised vehicles while they were checking unauthorised vehicles on the Safidon-Asandh road in the district yesterday. Mr Lehna Singh, member of the checking staff, was injured in the attack. He has been admitted to the Community Health Centre at Safidon. According to a report received here today, during checking of unauthorised vehicles, a jeep was impounded which was being plied without valid documents. Later, driver of the impounded jeep came back along with seven persons and attacked the staff with canes and iron rods. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 120 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
