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| Sunday,
December 31, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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Drive against power theft to continue BJP decries mode of bill recovery Little justice at Chautala’s dwar BJP seeks Central Government help 1,100 traffic cops to be recruited: Chautala Anti-encroachment
drive soon |
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High-tech phone
exchange opened 5 train mishap
victims cremated 
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Drive against power theft to continue HISAR, Dec 30 — Calm prevailed in the town today after yesterday’s violent protests against alleged excesses by vigilance teams of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN). The markets in the vicinity of the Nagori Gate, which were affected by the protests, remained open today even as police parties patrolled the area as a precautionary measure. On the other hand, no raids to check power thefts were reported from any part of the town today. However, officials of the DHBVN said there was no let-up in the campaign against theft of power and that the raids would continue. A spokesman for the nigam said the special vigilance teams would continue to target consumers in areas identified as theft prone on the basis of line losses on feeders supplying power to these areas. He said technically the normal losses are in the range of 16 to 17 per cent. Any losses beyond this were because of thefts. He said the line losses on feeders supplying power to Jahajpul, Sabzi Mandi and Multani Chowk here were in the range of 70 to 80 per cent, which necessitated action against those stealing power. He said the average line losses on feeders supplying power to the town exceeded 40 per cent. This meant that at least one third of power supplied was being stolen. The spokesman said breakdowns, low voltage and tripping were the outcome of theft of power, which resulted in overloading and drop in voltage besides causing heavy loss of revenue to the power utilities. He denied that the urban consumers had been made a target and that no action was being taken against rural consumers because the ruralites constituted the main vote bank of the ruling INLD. The spokesman said similar campaigns had been launched in the villages where line losses exceeded 17 per cent. Meanwhile, Dr Rajinder Singh Malik, president of the Hisar Circle of the Bharatiya Janata Party has suggested that the power utilities should launch a voluntary disclosure scheme to enable consumers to get their loads regularised and meters changed. He said no theft of power was possible without connivance of powermen but the consumers were being targetted while the moles in the power utilities were being spared. Dr Malik who led yesterday’s protests said the power utilities should concentrate on ending theft of power rather than penalising consumers for past conduct. In addition, he said, many law-abiding consumers were falling victims to excesses by the vigilance teams of the DHBVN. On the other hand, major Opposition parties and business organisations are gearing up to encash the public anger against the government. Leaders of these organisations and political parties were huddled today for several hours to prepare a blueprint for an agitation. However, restoration of calm in the town put a damper on their plans. |
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Power Dept recovers dues worth 1.5 cr FARIDABAD, Dec 30 — The campaign to detect power theft is reportedly going on in full swing in the district. Power Department officials accompanied by the police have been raiding urban and rural areas. The authorities concerned have reportedly served final notices on the defaulters in various subdivisions as the last date for depositing pending bills without surcharge is December 31 and the government seems in no mood to extend the deadline. According to information, a team of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam recently raided some residential areas and detected 70 cases of power theft from Sanjay Colony here. It is learnt the cases were detected and the authorities imposed Rs 3.50 lakh penalty nearly 30 consumers deposited Rs 1 lakh within hours as penalty in the cases. Power officials warned that police cases would be filed if those accused of the power theft did not deposit penalty within 48 hours. Panic was created in the NH-4 locality of the NIT area in the town on Thursday some teams of the HVPN visited the areas to make the raid. The officials disconnected power to several point after finding alleged irregularities. The authorities also run a publicity campaign, including through the local cable, that all those connections would be disconnected without prior notice if the defaulters failed to deposit pending bills by December 31. Meanwhile, it is learnt that power officials have issued notices to the farmers in the district who owe old bills to the Nigam. It is reported that 1,085 farmers of Palwal Hodal and Hathin subdivision have been asked to deposit the defaulting amount by the due date or their landed property would be attached. According to official sources, the farmers of the subdivisions owe around Rs 1.28 crore as power bills for the past several years. The authorities have recovered 1.5 crore from various defaulters in the region in the recent past. About 84 power connections have been disconnected in this area. It is learnt that the tehsil offices have either sent notices to defaulting consumers or they have been in process of sending these. It is learnt that 23 farmers have deposited the arrears after the notice. The Nigam is to collect Rs 60 lakh in Palwal, 14.72 lakh in Hathin and 52.40 lakh in Hodal subdivision. The Nigam got registered police cases against 19 consumers in the rural areas here in the past month. |
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Racket of fake meters busted FARIDABAD, Dec 30 — The police has busted a gang allegedly involved in the installation of “fake” meters and electricity connections to the consumers. At least three persons including two employees of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) have been arrested by the police. According to police sources, the modus operandi of this gang involving a junior engineer, a lineman and an assistant lineman of the HVPN used to replace the “meters” and provided new connection, without any information to authorities concerned, to the consumers who contacted them. Such consumers wanted to get rid of the meters
which reportedly were ‘fast’ and whose bill was higher. It is learnt that the gang used to prepare a ‘new file’, on its own and install a new meter connection instead of the old, to provide relief to the consumer. Such meters are suspected to be tampered with to give desired reading. It is reported that the gang used to charge an amount up to Rs 2500 such a connection was prepared with the help of one of the employees under supervision and directions of the junior engineer. The case was detected when a team of officials raided in Dabua colony here and arrested a person identified as Shivji, presently residing at Jawahar colony. During interrogation, the accused revealed the facts related to functioning of this gang. He reportedly told the police that at least two employees, including a JE of the HVPN residing in Jawahar colony and Sran village had been the key persons of the group. Both the employees have been arrested. They reportedly revealed that group had given new connections at three places recently. All these consumers are reported to be “defaulters” of the nigam. The gang’s operation might have resulted in a huge loss of revenue to the nigam. According to HVPN sources, a case under 420, 120-B and 30/50 of the Electricity Act has been booked against the accused. Meanwhile the police has also nabbed one youth
identified as Ramesh Chand, allegedly involved in several robberies. It is learnt that accused had been a member of one of the gang involved in such a crime. A case has been registered. |
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HVP to protest
power tariff hike ROHTAK, Dec 30 — Criticising the alleged “rigid” stand adopted by the state government for its decision on hike in power tariff, the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) today announced to launch an agitation against the “undue” burden on consumers. Stating this here today, the district HVP president said a demonstration would be held at Faridabad on January 2 led by Mr Surender Singh, secretary general of the HVP and Mr Harsh Kumar, a former minister, the demonstrators will submit a 14-point memorandum to the Governor through the Deputy Commissioner. He said Mr Surender Singh would also lead a demonstration here on January 9 and submit a memorandum, seeking withdrawal of hike to the Deputy Commissioner. Similar demonstrations would be held on the same day at Bhiwani and Narnaul district. |
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BJP decries
mode of bill recovery ROHTAK, Dec 30 — Criticising government tactics for the recovery of arrears of power bills the Haryana BJP, an ally of the Chautala government, yesterday alleged that the move had generated resentment among people. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Prabhat Kumar, in charge of party affairs in Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind and Sonepat districts, alleged it was unethical on the part of the government to seek no-due certificate by the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam for getting different official works done. He said even a farmer had to produce the receipt of his Power Bill for getting the payment for sugarcane sold to the cooperative sugar mills. Describing the government decision to set up old-age homes in all villages as a “disgraceful” step against the senior citizens, the BJP leader suggested that the government should have introduced a Bill authorising the elderly people to disown their sons if the former were not properly attended to by them. He alleged the setting up of village development councils was a blow on democracy. He said what would be the position of state government if such development council was established in the state for carrying out development work by the Union Government. He criticised the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) President and a former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal, for his reported statement in which he called Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee a “cheat”. Warning Mr Bansi Lal not to blame the national leadership, he said the HVP leader was the only MLA in his party which was not even recognised by the state Election Commission. He criticised the hike in power tariff and demanded its withdrawal. Giving details of the ‘Nai Sadi Sankalp Yatra’ launched by the Haryana Yuva Morcha he said the yatra would be concluded at Gohana on January 12. It would be
addressed by Mr Shiv Raj Singh, MP and President, BJP Yuva Morcha, and Mr Arun Jaitley, Union Law Minister.
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Little justice at Chautala’s dwar NARAINGARH, Dec 30 — Ninety-year-old Daulat Ram, stood for the entire two hours of the Chief Minister’s stay during the ‘Sarkar Apke Dwar programme’ only to be jostled around. He was there to get his old-age pension sanctioned but was finally lost in the crowds. Outside the grain mandi, the venue for the programme, people from various villages cooled their heels waiting to be called by the Chief Minister. They alleged that some officials had put them off, saying individual complaints were not welcome. Panchayat members of several villages could not get inside the security gate. For those who did manage to get inside, another queue awaited them and after spending 30 minutes to an hour, all they managed to do was personally hand over their complaint letters. The disappointed public clamoured to hand over their complaints while the officials hurriedly attempted to wind up the proceedings to leave after the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala. On the face of it, it had all the trappings of a campaign — good seating arrangement where the public was the priority, all officials of the two districts — Ambala and Panchkula — falling in line much before the scheduled beginning at 10 a.m. and elaborate security arrangements to meet any exigency. The programme of Mr Chautala which had kept officials on their toes ever since its announcement began with a lot of fanfare at the Grain Mandi, Naraingarh, at 10:30 am. It ended on an even more dramatic note with the CM accompanied by his entourage leaving the venue in just about a couple of hours for Faridabad. During his stay, he attended to 144 panchayats according to officials, out of which 62 came from
Shehzadpur, 41 each from Nariangarh and Raipur Rani blocks while individual complaints were completely sidelined and cold shouldered. Mr Chautala’s contribution to the darbar revolved around the handing over of complaints to the Deputy Commissioners for further action. All that the public actually managed to hear from Mr Chautala was “Chalo, aage
chalo.” Hard pressed for time, Mr Chautala had announced at the very beginning that repair of roads, removal of encroachments, setting up of waterworks projects and provision of electricity were already going on and that the public was welcome to give in any other complaints. However, most of the complaints of the public focused on these central problems. “He is not even hearing us out before pronouncing his
judgement. We are satisfied with the fact that at least our complaint has been filed with the Administration. Action will happen when it does and if it does,’’ lamented Om Prakash
Shastri, a villagers waiting since morning for handing over his complaint.
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BJP seeks Central Government help GURGAON, Dec 30 — The Haryana and Rajasthan units of the Bharatiya Janata Party Kisan Morcha (BJPKM) have made a strong case for Centre’s intervention on the issue of water sharing. In the just-concluded meeting of the national executive of the BJPKM, which was held in Sohna in this district, the Haryana unit urged for Centre’s immediate intervention for the early completion of the Sultej Yamuma Link (SYL) canal project which was meant to bring Ravi-Beas water in the southern parts of the state. According to the national vice-president of the BJPKM, Mr Ishwar Singh, the Haryana unit has submitted a detailed report of the hardships faced by the farmers of the state on account of shortage of
water. The farming activities have taken a severe beating, the state unit has added. Reports have it that 95 per cent of the construction works on the SYL had been
completed. Only the remaining parts in Punjab were yet to be completed. The
issue of sharing of Ravi-Beas water with Haryana is being opposed by the Akalis of Punjab, especially the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal. Incidentally, both the ruling SAD and the INLD (in Haryana) are supporting the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. In a move which is likely to further sour the INLD-BJP ties in Haryana, the state unit of the BJPKM submitted a report to the national executive attributing motives of the ruling party in Haryana with regard to the formation of gram vikas samitis. Mr Ishwar Singh told TNS that the bodies were anti-democratic and were set up to create extra-constitutional centres of power. The BJP and its frontal wings were opposed to such moves. As the formation of these samitis was bad in law and was setting a wrong precedent, the Centre has been asked to intervene. An All-India General Secretary of the BJPKM and a popular leader from Rajasthan, Mr Madan Lal Saini, said the burning issue in Rajasthan was acute shortage of water. As this was the third consecutive year without rainfall, the state was facing famine for the past three years. Large number of cattle have died on account of water shortage. The Centre has been urged to take initiative on the water front. The Punjab unit made out a strong case for reservation of Jat Sikhs of the state in the OBC list. |
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1,100 traffic cops to be recruited: Chautala NARAINGARH (Ambala), Dec 30 — Haryana is all set to bring in a sea-change in the traffic in the state by recruiting traffic constables and setting up traffic posts on the national highways. The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, after listening to the grievances of the people in the second phase of the Sarkar apke dwar programme, told mediapersons here, today, that the Haryana Government would recruit 1,100 traffic constables early next year so that road accidents are minimised. “We will also be setting up traffic posts on the national highways at every 30 km, which would be equipped with all the facilities to provide necessary medical aid to the accident victims. This will enable timely medical intervention and would emerge as a model traffic system,” he explained. Mr Chautala said the management of the Naraingarh sugar mill had been directed to make balance payment to the farmers for their sugarcane by January 7. He observed that the opposition was trying to create issues where none existed. “For instance, the Gram Vikas Samitis are for the overall development of the village. We are going to appoint Gram Vikas Sachiv’s. If there is a constructive suggestion, I am ready to accept it,” he said. Mr Chautala said he was also keen to reduce the number of holidays. “We have a large number of holidays which I am keen to reduce,” he said. Earlier, while addressing the gathering at the New Grain Market in Naraingarh where the sarkar apke dwar programme was organised, Mr Chautala said the Haryana Government would construct and repair water channels and ensure that irrigation water reached every field. Mr Chautala heard the grievances of representatives of about 144 villages comprising of 62 villages in Shahzadpur and 41 villages from Naraingarh besides Raipur Rani. Among others, the Minister of State for Social Welfare, Mr Risal Singh, MLAs, Mr Pawan Dewan and Mr Jasbir Mallour, Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, Additional DC, Mr Mahinder Kumar, Inspector General of Police, Ambala range, Mr Hari Singh Ahlawat and Superintendent of Police, Ambala were present at the sarkar apke dwar programme. PANCHKULA |
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| Anti-encroachment
drive soon KAITHAL, Dec 30 — A drive to remove illegal encroachments from roads and to regulate traffic in the town will soon the launched. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner while addressing a press conference here yesterday. He informed the mediapersons about the shifting of the local taxi-stand from outside the district courts to some other convenient location. The Superintendent of Police, Mr A.S. Chawla, who was also present on the occasion, assured to take necessary steps to regulate traffic, improve law and order situation and ensure effective police patrolling to check crime. The Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police sought the cooperation of public and media for efficient functioning of the administrative machinery.
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High-tech
phone exchange opened ROHTAK, Dec 30 — Dr Devender Pal Singh Seth, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Bharat Sanchar Nigam, yesterday inaugurated a highly sophisticated 10,000-line-capacity EWSD telephone exchange based on German technique at Bahadurgarh, 40 km from here. The latest facilities like video conferencing, ISDN, dynamic locking, call waiting, call forwarding, morning alarm etc would now be available to the consumers at this exchange, set up at a cost of nearly Rs 22 crore. Mr A.K. Jain General Manager Rohtak Telecom Department, said excluding a few localities telephone connections would be made available on demand in the town after the start of the exchange. He said fast dialling would also be made available to the consumers on demand. Besides, Mr Jain Said three new RSU’s of a
capacity of 2,000 lines each would be set up at Bahadurgarh in the current year which would enable the department to provide the new connections on demand in the town. |
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5 train mishap
victims cremated KAITHAL, Dec 30 — A pall of gloom descended on the Balraj Nagar locality here as the news of five members of a family having been crushed to death by Shatabadi Express at Kurukshetra reached here. Angoori Devi and her son Pawan were cremated here yesterday where as her daughter Santosh, son-in-law Amarnath and their son were cremated at Seonsar village near Pehowa. Suresh and Naresh, who survived the accident, told mediapersons that their brother, mother, sister, her husband and their son were on their way to a durgah at a village near Kurukshetra on Thursday. They were knocked down by the train at the Saraswari railway bridge. Suresh said marriage of Pawan was fixed for February 25. |
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Haryana to start
computer education Chandigarh, Dec 30 — The Haryana Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh, today said that computer education would be introduced in schools and colleges in the state from April 1. Computer literacy would enable young men and women to make the best out of the new education and information technology policies being implemented by the State Government, he said. The Finance Minister said this while presiding over a function organised by a computer training institute here. He also honoured 25 outstanding students of the institution. |
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