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| Friday, January 5, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Haryana may okay CRPF centre Name NH-8 after Prithviraj Chauhan: foundation 113 per cent rise in excise cases Excise Dept to be restructured Will Faridabad MC retrench employees? Taken for a ride over puzzles Shop owners’ plea to Chautala |
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| Villagers charged urban rates Confed removes 311 employees Land allotment scam accused gets bail Attendance register dispute continues Rain to benefit rabi crop Medicine council poll schedule Census training conducted Principal held for bid to molest Dalit girl Additional charge for B.R. Lall Record revenue for UHBVN Car stolen 
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| Haryana may okay CRPF centre GURGAON, JAN 4 — The Haryana Government is likely to approve a site chosen by the local administration for setting up a group centre of the Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) on 300 acres of land in Ferojpur-Jhirka in Mewat in this district. Earlier the CRPF and the district administration were looking for panchayat land at Badkali Chowk, but the move did not materialise. The district administration has sent a proposal to the state government for the Centre along with the rate at which the land may be disposed to the CRPF. The move for setting up the centre in Mewat was initiated by the then Director-General of the CRPF, Mr K.P.S. Gill, in 1994. Apart from setting up the CRPF’s group centre, other major projects on the anvil are setting up a Haryana Armed Police complex on 300 acres of land and a modern jail on 80 acres of land in Bhondsi. The complex and the jail are the state government’s projects. It may be mentioned here that already a small centre of the Border Security Force(BSF) exists in Bhondsi. According to sources in the administration,the setting up of the HAP complex is a desideratum as it will augment the police force in Gurgaon Range covering Gurgaon, Rewari, Faridabad and Mahendergarh districts during contingencies. There is always a shortage of manpower in the district police force. With the geographical and demographic expansion of Gurgaon and the rapid increase in trade and commerce, the district police is always under pressure to cope with the law and order problem. In case of a major law and order problem like a possible riot, or a major calamity, the police is at present ill-equipped to deal with the situation. In a situation like a visit by the Prime Minister to a certain district police force from surrounding districts has to be roped in often. Also, the entire South Haryana encompassing the four districts in Gurgaon Range are geographically placed in a situation where the areas have been showing vulnerability to the inter-state gangs. With Delhi and areas of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh being contiguous to South Haryana, especially Gurgaon and Faridabad, the proposed HAP complex is being hailed as more than the proverbial silver lining in the cloud. Case histories of a number of notorious gangs and their members, who are, or were operating in South Haryana, reveal that they committed crimes in other parts of the country and escaped to these parts of Haryana. Also, they committed crimes in Haryana and escaped to places like Alwar in Rajasthan, Delhi or Bulandshahr, Meerut and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. There have been cases when the criminals committed murders elsewhere and dumped bodies in South Haryana. The situation has assumed such gravity that Haryana has voiced concern over this at a number of meets of police representatives of states falling in the National Capital Region (NCR). Haryana has often raised the demand for a team effort on the part of the states concerned to curb the mobility of such gangsters. The complex will mainly have facilities for training of recruits with all modern logistics. A senior member of the administration said the proposed jail will be ultra-modern and designed to take care of the needs of inmates. | |
| Name NH-8 after Prithviraj Chauhan: foundation GURGAON, Jan 4 — The Samraat Prithviraj Foundation has urged the Centre to name the National Highway-8, from Delhi to Mumbai, which courses through Haryana, after the last Hindu emperor, Prithviraj Chauhan. According to the convener of the foundation, Capt Vikram Singh, the Centre has been approached for naming the highway after Prithviraj Chauhan and was hopeful of the positive response of the issue. Senior members of the foundation held a meeting here last evening to pass a resolution in this regard. The foundation, which was leading an agitation for bringing the mortal remains of the emperor from Ghazni near Kandahar in Afghanistan and for the acquisition of Neemrana Fort Palace Hotel by the Union Government, had also decided to organise “mahayagyas” at Hardo Khanpur in Hoshiarpur district in Punjab and Pilkuaon in Ghaziabad district in Uttar Pradesh as part of the agitation. While the one in Hoshiarpur would be on February 4, the one in Ghaziabad district would be a two-day affair, starting on January 27. The “yagyas” were being organised under the banner of the “rashtriya gaurav mahayagyas”, he said. The foundation’s argument is that the Neemrana Fort was set up by the descendants of Prithviraj Chauhan but it was converted into a hotel. Proprietors had done so in violation of the agreement under which they had bought the fort and part of the surrounding land. It alleged that the fort and land was sold by Maharaj Rajender Singh, with an agreement that it would be converted into a museum. It had also urged the Union Home Minister and the CBI to take up the case of the alleged theft of a statue made of sapphire of Goddess Aaswari from the fort. Locals have got a criminal case registered against the proprietors of the hotel. According to the foundation, the statue was of the goddess of the Chauhan clan and it was in the fort when it was sold. After converting the fort into a hotel, the statue was found missing. According to the custom, the locals used to visit the temple of the goddess in the fort. However, after the proprietors levied a charge to enter the fort, the locals stopped visiting it. It was a case of religious as well as national importance and the Centre must intervene, he said. The foundation has hailed the issuance of a commemorative postal stamp after Prithviraj Chauhan. |
| 113 per cent rise in excise cases FARIDABAD, Jan 4 — There has been an unprecedented rise in the smuggling of liquor and narcotics in the district in the past one year. While a huge quantity of liquor has been recovered, the mafia supplying low quality liquor from neighbouring states is reported to be active. According to police sources, there has been a sharp increase in excise-related cases. About 1,748 cases were booked in 2000 in comparison with 817 in the previous year. This increase is stated to be about 113 per cent in just a year. While the victim of this menace is the common man, especially those poor, this type of liquor is available at every nook and corner. It is learnt that even kiryana and general stores besides pan and vegetable vendors sell the liquor to customers, which is also available at roadside dhabas. The liquor is normally smuggled in from states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh where it is produced locally and is packed in plastic bottles and pouches. While the involvement of several police officials is not ruled out, the liquor mafia is reported to have connections with high-ups. As per the official figures, the police recovered 10,000 bottles of various categories and brands 4,34,920 pouches of 300 kg of lahan used in the manufacture of such liquor. Cases relating to narcotics and drug abuse have also been on the rise. While 27 cases were booked under the prevention of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Act (NDPA) in 1999, these rose to 42 the following year. The police seized at least 220 kg of ganja, 62 kg of poppy husk, 17 kg of charas, 7.5 kg of opium, 300 gm of smack and 110 gm of brown sugar. According to SSP Ranbir Sharma, the district police had been able to bust as many as 41 gangs involved in dacoity, robbery and theft. Stolen property and cash worth Rs 55.92 lakh had been recovered from the arrested persons, the SSP claimed. A huge cache of arms, including 107 pistols, two countrymade revolvers, 119 cartridges and seven guns were recovered during this period, he added. |
| Excise Dept to be restructured CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The Haryana Government today decided to restructure its Excise and Taxation Department to check pilferage of taxes. The decision was taken at a review meeting convened by the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Parkash Chautala, with officers of the Excise and Taxation Department. The Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Excise and Taxation, Mr M Shankar revealed that the sales tax receipts of the state had increased phenomenally by 34.20 per cent till November last during the current financial year as compared to the corresponding period in 2000. During the same period, the state excise collections had also gone up by 13.98 per cent. He said this increase was because of improved monitoring and plugging of leakages by the department at all levels. The highest increase was noticed in Hisar district where the collection under sales tax, entertainment tax had shown an increase of 65.61 per cent in December last. The Chief Minister also approved the proposal of the department to have five Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioners at the headquarters instead of two at present to monitor different activities minutely. Similarly, it was also decided to create four posts of Joint Excise and Taxation Commissioners at the divisional level for coordinating the activities of the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioners at the district level. | |
| Will Faridabad MC retrench employees? FARIDABAD, Jan 4 — Is the Municipal Corporation here preparing to retrench about 600 of 113 employees in the near future? This question has arisen following a “move” being made in this connection. According to corporation sources, a report submitted by two senior officials has stated that as many as 580 safai karamcharis and 50 gardeners were surplus. It was stated that a survey had been conducted by these officials recently. It is learnt that the Commissioner of the corporation has sought the due approval of the mayor of the corporation. But whether the Mayor and the municipal corporators have given their approval is not known. There are 24 elected corporators at present, which included the Mayor, the senior Deputy Mayor and the Deputy Mayor. According to corporation sources, presently there are over 6000 safai karamcharis. The corporation covers three assembly constituencies, including Nit, Mewla, Maharajpur and Ballabgarh segments. It is reported that retrenchment of the surplus staff may be taken under provisions of Section 25 (F) of the Industrial Disputes Act. However, no senior official, including the Commissioner and the Mayor, was available to confirm the reported move. Although the corporations’ income is likely to improve considerably with the implementation of the new procedure for calculating house tax, yet the overall financial position of the corporation is not up to the mark, and this could be one of the reasons behind the reported move. Meanwhile, the corporation has sanctioned new development schemes worth Rs 1.25 crore. Several development works were given approval by the finance committee of the corporation which held a meeting yesterday.
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| Taken for a ride over puzzles FATEHABAD, Jan 4 — Several persons of the area have been reportedly cheated through crossword riddles. Most of the victims being from rural areas. According to reports, a Gaya-based company published cross word puzzles in some national newspapers. The company announced that it would give prizes worth lakhs of rupees to the first 400 persons who send right answers to their puzzles. Several persons received letters from the company informing them that they had won a colour television. The letter said the transport documents were being sent to them through VPP and they could get the documents from their respective post offices by paying a sum of Rs 405 (Rs 350 for the transportation charges and Rs 55 for VPP charges). But when some of them opened their parcels by getting the delivery from the local post office, they found some “ayurvedic churan” pills in it along with some literature regarding its use. The Post Master, Mr Manphool Singh Chowdhary, said as many as 40 such VPPs have been received by their post office, of which some have already accepted it. Interestingly, while people from both urban and rural areas sent responses to the crossword puzzles, but the organisers chose rural people only for sending their VPPs. The SP, Mr Hanif Qureshi, when asked, said the police had not received any complaint in this regard. He said the police would take action in case someone approaches it. |
| Shop owners’ plea to Chautala YAMUNANAGAR, Jan 4 — Hundreds of local shop-keepers have sent a representation to the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, with regard to the newly imposed teh bazari by the government. Mr Pishori Lal, President, Meena Bazaar Sudhar Samiti in a letter signed by hundreds of shop-keepers told the Chief Minister that there were about 200 shop-keepers in the market. According to the order of the state government on September 27, the new rates of teh bazari were increased from Rs 1 to Rs 10 per square foot per month. He said the shop-keepers had constructed shops and kiosks and had been occupying them since the past 20-30 years. They had been paying rent to the municipal council. He said they had also obtained power connections and the municipal council had given a no-objection certificate to the HSEB. He demanded that they should be treated like the occupants of the shops. |
| Villagers charged urban rates BHIWANI, Jan 4 — Despite allotting category of gram panchayat to Loharu town by abolishing the Loharu Municipal Committee, various government departments are not considering it as gram panchayat thus compelling the residents to face financial losses. Government departments are charging fees in various respects to the tune of urban status. The Department of Telecommunications is also sending telephone bills at the rate of cities and the same is being done in case of house tax. The residents of Loharu have sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding that government offices be directed to charge bills as per panchayat rules. The memorandum said banks were charging rate of interest on loans to the tune of urban areas and the amount of subsidy being received through various government schemes had also been given according to the criteria of cities. The residents have urged to make provision as per the rules of villages in all matters for Loharu. |
Confed removes 311 employees FARIDABAD, Jan 4 — Close on the heels of the Haryana Minerals Limited, the Haryana State Federation of Cooperative Consumer Store Limited (Confed) has also retrenched about 311 of its employees. The federation authorities have reportedly stated that due to increasing losses, the management had taken the decision to remove 311 employees from all over the state. The company had also retrenched about 246 employees in 1993 due to losses. It is learnt that the company had estimated a loss of about Rs 10 crore at the end of 1993. A majority of those retrenched are salesman, 30 of them from this district alone. | |
| Land allotment scam accused gets bail ROHTAK, Jan 4 — The Special Judge, Mr Shiva Sharma, today granted bail to Rajender Krishan, co-accused with former Revenue Minister Anand Singh Dangi, in the land allotment scam. The Special Judge extended concession of bail to the petitioner on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 20,000 with one surety in the like amount. The court also directed the petitioner not to leave the country without prior permission of the court. In his order the Judge said, “The petitioner is in custody for the past 50 days. Nothing is to be recovered from him and no useful purpose would be served by keeping him in custody for a longer period.” The petitioner has served as reader to Mr Didar Singh. He is alleged to have prepared forged documents in connivance with certain persons to cause wrongful loss to the state. The petitioner sought bail giving the argument that he was innocent and falsely implicated in the case. He alleged the case was registered because of political enmity between the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, and Mr Dangi. |
| Attendance register dispute continues PANIPAT, Jan 4 — The dispute between the Panipat Blanket Manufacturing Association and the Industrial Workers Unions over introduction of attendance registers in factories and issuing attendance cards to the workers could not be settled even in the fourth round meeting of their representatives held here last evening in the office of the Labour Department. In the meeting which continued for more than four hours, representatives of the association and the workers union deliberated upon the issue in the presence of the Deputy Labour Commissioner and Labour Officer here. But they reportedly failed to reach on any compromise and remained adamant on their demands. Addressing workers after the meeting, the union leaders alleged that industrial workers were being exploited by industrialists due to negligent attitude of the Labour Department. The department had failed to protect the interest of the workers. They announced that their agitation would continue until their demands were accepted. The union leaders said the new Superintendent of Police, here had asked all the workers in different industrial units here to possess identity cards and these cards were to be produced whenever asked by the patrolling police parties for which they demanded attendance register and attendance cards from the factory owners. |
| Rain to benefit rabi crop CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The widespread rainfall in Haryana on the eve of the New Year has brought respite to farmers from the prolonged dry spell and has brightened the prospects of rabi crops. An official spokesman said with the weather remaining favourable in the coming months, the production target of wheat fixed at 96 lakh tonnes was likely to be achieved. The farmers would be benefited to a large extent since one crop irrigation would be met with the recent rainfall. The spokesman added that the farmers in the state had already completed the sowing of wheat in the targeted area of 23 lakh hectares because of assured irrigation conditions in the state. The spokesman added that even the crops of gram and mustard which were grown under rain-fed and limited irrigation conditions stand to be benefited most from these rains. The spokesman said the production prospects of both these crops grown on 92,000 hectares for gram and 4.35 lakh hectares for mustard had brightened considerably. He said in the absence of the recent rainfall, the lack of residual moisture in the soil could have adversely affected their production. |
| Medicine council poll schedule CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The Central Council of Indian Medicine will conduct a poll for electing two Ayurveda practitioners and one Unani as members of the council in Haryana. A spokesman for of the Ayurveda Department said as per the election schedule, the last date for the submission of nomination papers was January 22 and these would be scrutinised on january 23. The candidates could withdraw their nominations on January 30. He said if the election was to be found necessary, the ballot papers would be sent to the voters by registered post before March 2. The voters could personally deliver or send their ballot papers by registered post on or before April 5. The scrutiny and counting of votes would commence on April 7 in the office of the Returning Officer nominated for the election. He said, candidates were required to be present at the time of counting along with their proposer and seconder. The nomination papers could be obtained free of cost from the office of the Returning Officer, Registrar, Board of Ayurvedic and Unani System of Medicine, Panchkula or offices of District Ayurvedic Officers in the state.
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| Census training conducted YAMUNANAGAR, Jan 4 — The municipal councillors should be associated with census work so that they can also share the pride of having worked for a national cause Mr Rajiv Sharma, Principal Census Officer and Deputy Commissioner, here said in the second round of training of enumerators and supervisors which was held here today. The meeting was attended by the census advisor for the district, Mr B.D. Kalia. He called the anumerators and supervisors as writers of history of census for the past 10 years and said the census figures enumerated by them would be significant in enabling the nation to understand the present scenario and determine priorities for planning purposes. Mr B.D. Kalia, while addressing the meeting, asked the enumerators and supervisors to take up the assignment with all its seriousness. He further said they should assure every household that the information given by them would be kept secret and that the census report should be based on exact information. The training programme for enumerators and supervisors for the district is being arranged at eight stations in the district. The training would acquaint them with information regarding census duty, filling of forms and returns through mock exercises, quiz sessions and motivate them to perform this duty most efficiently. | |
Principal held for bid to molest Dalit girl PINJORE, Jan 4 — An alleged attempt to outrage the moidesty of a Dalit girl by the principal of a private school on the Bitna road here, was reported today. According to the police, the accused principal, Mr Surya Giri, has been arrested and sent to judicial custody till January 16 by the Judicial Magistrate. According to the police, the incident took place on Monday morning and a case under Sections 354 and 506 of the IPC and 3(H) of the atrocities Act has been registered on the complaint of the victim’s brother, Ashok Kumar. In his complaint, he stated that his sister, a student of Class VIII in Pushp Vatika School, had reached school at around 7.30 a.m. when there was no one else in the school. The principal called the girl to his office and attempted to outrage her modesty, he alleged. | |
| Additional charge for B.R. Lall CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The Haryana Government today ordered that Mr B.R. Lall, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Haryana Police Housing Corporation, will also hold additional charge as Commandant-General, Home Guards, and Director, Civil Defence, with immediate effect. The government has also promoted Mr Ravi Kant Sharma to the rank of Inspector-General of Police. Mr Sanjay Kumar, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sirsa, has been posted as Assistant Superintendent of Police, Faridabad, with immediate effect. | |
| Record revenue for UHBVN CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — The Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) today claimed to have realised a record revenue of Rs 110.81 crore in December last year as compared to Rs 92.91 crore during the corresponding period in 1999. A spokesman for the nigam said earlier the highest realisation of revenue was Rs 105.04 crore in November, 2000. The highest realisation in the case of circles was Karnal (Rs 27.16 crore). In the Ambala, Kurukshetra and Sonepat circles, the revenue realisation was Rs 15.97 crore, Rs 13.70 crore and Rs 13.10 crore, respectively. | |
Car stolen AMBALA, Jan 4 — A Maruti car was reportedly stolen from a main market of Ambala Cantonment last evening. It was the fifth such incident during the past two months. Around a dozen of two wheelers have also been reportedly stolen in the district within this period. Three days back, the police succeeded in nabbing a member of a gang involved in stealing electronic goods in Ambala Cantonment, Naraingarh and Ambala City. The police recovered 18 colour televisions from their possession. The police sources said that vehicle thieves generally came from adjoining districts of Punjab and sometimes from Uttar Pradesh, too. After committing the crime they fled back to their regions. | |
Police recovered Rs 8.29 lakh in December AMBALA, Jan 4 — The district police solved five cases of house break and nine theft cases and recovered Rs 8.29 lakh last month. The Superintendent of Police, Mr Sandeep Khirwar, said that during December, the law and order situation in the district was under control. He said that stolen goods worth Rs 2.60 lakh were recovered. The police also busted a illegal liquor bhatti and about 8,222 pouches. Besides, 15 kg chura post being recovered, 18 gamblers were also nabbed, a release said.
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Girl gangraped FARIDABAD, Jan 4 — A teenaged girl was allegedly gangraped by four youths in NIT region here yesterday. According to a complaint lodged with the police, the accused, identified as Laxman, Bhagwat, Mahesh and Arjun, stopped the girl while she was going to the fields near Mohan Dera village in NIT area and committed the crime. A case under Sections 376 and 506 of the IPC has been registered.
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Chief Secy to appear in SC CHANDIGARH, Jan 4 — Mr L.M. Goyal, Chief Secretary of Haryana, has been asked to appear in person in the Supreme Court on February 5 in a case related to accelerated promotion to Scheduled Castes employees.
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| Pilot cremated FARIDABAD, Jan 4 — Lieut-Col R.K. Yadav, (retd), pilot of the ill-fated helicopter which crashed near Mussoorie on Tuesday, was cremated here yesterday. He was a resident of NH-5 locality and had been employed with the DLF after retirement. He was given a guard of honour by Army officials. |
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