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| Sunday, February
11, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Bhajan invites Hooda to rally Land mafia on a binge Streetwalkers stalk cyberways CM stresses on educating women Vigilance Bureau for action against 12 6 arrested in student’s
death case Haryana’s order to Heads of depts |
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Clarion call to fight corruption 40 pc schools sans principals Grievances panel meeting held Complete
SYL, urge farmers Four times increase in population since first
census CM urges people to pay power arrears District Diary Man kills brother
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Bhajan invites Hooda to rally ROHTAK, Feb 10 The invitation was delivered by Mr Azad Singh Nehra, member of the PCC (Sonepat) at the Delhi residence of Mr Hooda. Political analysts here believe that by inviting Mr Hooda for participating in the rally, Mr Bhajan Lal has blunted the attack that the PCC Chief has launched against him over the rally issue. Over 700 confidants of Mr Bhajan Lal and Mr Birender Singh, former PCC chief, yesterday participated in a meeting held at Delhi to finalise strategy for the proposed rally. Among those who attended yesterday’s meeting were Mr Lachhman Dass Arora, Mrs Anita Yadav, Mr O.P. Jindal, Mr Dharamvir, MLA Tosham, besides Mr Phool Chand Mullana, Col Ram Singh, Mr A.C. Chaudhary, Mr Subhash Batra, Mr Krishna Murti Hooda, Mr S.P.S. Chauhan, Thakur Bir Singh and Mr Dharambir Gauba. The members resolved to hold the rally at Bhiwani on March 4 constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Mr Banarsi Dass Gupta to decide the issues which would be raised in the proposed rally. The meeting also decided that the rally would be presided by Mr Moti Lal Vora, General Secretary, AICC, and in charge of Haryana affairs. Mr Dharam Vir, MLA, Tosham, was nominated as convener of the rally. Mr Bhajan Lal informed the gathering that the Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi had already given a green signal for the March 4 rally aimed at launching the “Haryana bachao “campaign”. Majority of speakers at the workers meeting at Delhi yesterday advised Mr Hooda to hold his proposed rally of March 18 at some other place instead of Bhiwani. They disapproved the stance adopted by the PCC chief against the March 4 rally. |
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Land mafia on a binge GURGAON, Feb 10 — The development once again indicates the unholy nexus of the land sharks, influential politicians and senior government functionaries. The general opinion is that the political executives (read Chief Minister and his ministers) cannot be ignorant of the developments. The latest in the series is the
unauthorised colonisation of more than 80 acres of prime agricultural land on the
Gurgaon-Pataudi road, about 4 km from the offices of the Commissioner, Gurgaon division, Inspector General of Police, Gurgaon range, local Deputy Commissioner and the police chief. The persons involved in the case are surrogates and, in some cases investors. Inquiries reveal that some influential persons, including senior officers, are involved in the case. The locale of the land happens to be a kind of triangle formed by the areas of Khandsa, Gadoli and Kadipur villages, falling along the Gurgaon-Pataudi road. The colony is flanked by Sector 10 A on one side and Pace City-II (industrial estate) on the other. Inquiries reveal that plots in this dubious colony have already been sold. The plotted area is about 75 acres. The plots sold are of different sizes, ranging from less than 100 sq yds to 1000 sq yds. The loss to the state coffer could be fathomed by simplification of details in the case. The details are that the total plotted area is approximately 60,000 sq yds. The plots have been disposed of at the cost ranging from approximately Rs 1,800 to 2,200 per sq yd, while the registries for the plots in favour of the buyer have been done at a cost of only about Rs 200 per sq yd. However, the purchase price of the land from the farmers was at about Rs 200 to Rs 450 per sq yd. The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) had disposed of land near the same site at the cost of Rs 3,000 per square metre. The criminal components in the deal are, first, there has been no change of land use (CLU) as the land is agricultural land. Even if the government had granted the CLU, the fees involved for the same would have run into several crores. Moreover, there is a mandatory stamp duty to be paid in the purchase of land by the buyers. Also, there is gross undervaluation of price of the land resulting in a loss of more than Rs 7 crore on account of less stamp duty. If the administration had not allowed such surreptitious development and the government allowed the HUDA to dispose of plots in it, the state would also have earned a huge amount in the form of development charges from the buyers of plots. Also, the manipulations have robbed the Income Tax Department of about Rs 10 crore. In some of the cases, the colonisers bought the land from farmers on General Power of Attorney (GPA) on fictitious names to avoid stamp duty as well as to save income tax. Significantly, before the sale of plots, the colonisers constructed roads in the colony. |
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Streetwalkers stalk cyberways HISAR, Feb 10 — With upmarket Indian streetwalkers sealing deals for live sex on the Internet using sex-chat rooms, cybersex and prostitution have assumed new dimensions in the country. The latest development has by and large eliminated pimps and well-healed Net savvy call girls are luring customers on the Net with attractive photographs on their profiles in chat programmes. While Yahoo Messenger’s adult chat rooms are the most widely used for the purpose, other popular chat sites like ICQ are catching up fast. This is briefly how these girls operate. They buy an Internet connection and register under fictitious names and addresses to cover up their tracks. They then create a fake Yahoo identity using valid e-mail addresses (a required field for registering) from one of the thousands of sites offering this popular facility. Generally, they prefer sites using US based servers, which ensure that their ISP addresses (identity number provided by the Internet Service Provider) are hard to trace. Most of the chat sites, including Yahoo Messenger, allow the registered users to create up to five different profiles (aliases with different pictures, name, sex, age and location). The call girls generally use one alias for two to three days so that no one remembers their identity for long. Even the main identity (registered user name) is deleted every fortnight or so paving way for fresh registration under another name. The Lesbian and the Husbands Away Wives Looking chat rooms are somehow their favourite haunts. Since they use catchy aliases, they generally do not need to initiate the chat. Names like Aishwarya, Divya, Rekha etc lure male users who send them Instant Private Messages (popularly called PMs) inviting them for a chat. The moment the subject turns to cybersex, the call girl will say no and instead offer a deal for live sex. It is here that the initiative passes on to the call girl. She then offers to send her real picture (pictures used in the profiles are not real and are picked up from the Net) on your e-mail address. Many even send voice-mail messages to trap the customer. The deal is then struck and the potential customer is asked to provide his phone number or address for confirmation of the deal. The girl decides the rendezvous, which is mostly a five star hotel. All payments are made at the rendezvous itself. It is learnt that the service has become extremely popular among nouveau riche businessmen and their young children who have ample money to spend. It is said that young attractive male prostitutes too are using the Net to fix deals. Their customers are said to be housewives of rich businessmen in their thirties and forties. Enquiries by The Tribune revealed that the anonymity of the Internet provides the call girls complete immunity from being hauled up for soliciting by law enforcing agencies. The only risk involved is at the rendezvous itself but the five star hotels are considered safe. Even otherwise, the ill-educated Indian policeman is hardly expected to be a decoy on the Net. An additional advantage of these deals on the Net to both the streetwalker and the customer is that the service is available across India and not restricted to the four metros only. |
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CM stresses on educating women SIRSA, Feb 10 — He was addressing graduates at the 28th convocation of the local C.M.K. National Girls’ College. The Chief Minister praised the girls for outshining boys in every field. He said his government would give a matching grant for any project which promoted education among girls. Pointing at the big chasm between the purpose of the education policy of the British and the need of the hour, Mr Chautala said a clerk-producing educational system must be replaced by a job-oriented one that made the youth as well as the nation self-reliant. The Haryana Government had introduced a new education policy with a special thrust on job-oriented technical education. He said his government’s commitment to promoting information technology in the state was as per the times. The Chief Minister acceded to the college demands which included opening of a sports wings, metalling of link roads to the college and elevating the college boundary wall. The Principal conferred the roll of honour on Kavita and Rajni. At least 30 other sportspersons of the college were awarded the college colour and blazer. As many as 39 students were awarded the college colour for distinction in the cultural field. Dr
Sangwan, chairman of the college, welcomed the Chief Minister. Other persons on the occasion were the Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Mr
R.S. Chaudhary, member of Parliament Dr Sushil Indora, MLA Bhagiram and Dr Sita Ram. |
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Vigilance
Bureau for action against 12 CHANDIGARH, Feb 10 — A spokesman of the Bureau added that the Bureau had also recommended departmental action under Rule 7 of the Civil Service Rules against 31 gazetted and 91 other officials. It also recommended the recovery of Rs 12, 8511 and initiation of departmental action against the suspect officials during the period under report. The Revenue Wing of the Bureau claimed to have detected seven cases of leakage of revenue involving over Rs 17 lakh. Departmental action had been recommended against 10 gazetted and non-gazetted officials. The Bureau nabbed Jai Pal, resident of Ballu village under Kalayat police station and working as Halka Patwari of Kassan village, while accepting illegal gratification of Rs 2,000 from Shri Ram Dhari, resident of Taragarh village under Rajaund police station, in Kaithal district, for making an entry of intkal in the revenue records. A case has been registered against him at Ambala. The Bureau further claimed to have caught red-handed Yadhister, working as UDC in the office of Operation Subdivision, DHBVN Ltd, Badshahpur, along with his son Kamal, while accepting illegal gratification of Rs 500 from Nain Singh of Badshahpur. A case has been registered at the Gurgaon Police Station of the
SVB. |
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6 arrested
in student’s
death case PANIPAT, Feb 10 — The Samalkha police has arrested six students — Surinder , Jatinder, Pardeep, Mukesh, Krishan and Pankaj of Kiwana village, who allegedly injured a student, Parmod of Namunda village, who later succumbed to his injuries at PGI, Rohtak, on February 3. The students were arrested yesterday. The students were produced in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate and were remanded in judicial custody. Parmod was seriously injured in a group clash between the students of Kiwana and Ugalda villages 10 days ago. Parmod was shifted to the PGI, Rohtak, in a serious condition, where he succumbed to his injuries, Residents of Ugalda and Namunda villages protested against the police inaction on Monday. They were assured of action by the DSP, Samalkha, that the accused would be arrested soon. Meanwhile, the Israna police has registered a criminal case against five persons under Sections 148, 149, 323 and 506 of the IPC for attacking and injuring two youths of Shahpur village on Wednesday. The complaint was lodged by Vikas, one of the injured. All five accused — Satya Narain, Anil, Ved, Narender and Baljeet are of the same village. |
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Haryana’s order to Heads of depts CHANDIGARH, Feb 10 — The Haryana Government today told all Heads of departments that the cases of pay revision should be examined and finalised in the light of the observations made by the Supreme Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court while disposing of hundreds of writ petitions regarding equal pay for equal work. In the case of the state of UP and others vs J.P. Chaurasia it was observed by the apex court: “More often functions of two posts may appear to be the same or similar, but there may be a difference in degrees in the performance. The quantity of work may be the same, but the quality may be different that cannot be determined by relying upon averments in affidavits of interested parties. The equation of posts or the equation of pay must be left to the executive. It must be determined by expert bodies like the Pay Commission. They would be the best judge to evaluate the nature of duties and responsibilities of posts. If there is any such determination by a commission or a committee, the court should normally accept it. The court should not try to tinker with such equivalence unless it is shown that it was made with extraneous consideration”. In the case of the Secretary, Finance Department, and others vs the West Bengal Registration Services Association and others, (1992) it has been observed that the apex court: “It is well settled that the equation of posts and the determination of the pay scales is the primary function of the executive and not of the judiciary and, therefore, ordinarily the court will not enter upon the task of job evaluation which is generally left to expert bodies like the Pay Commission etc”. |
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Clarion call to fight corruption ROHTAK, Feb 10 — Giving a clarion call to fight corruption at macro and micro levels, Mr Vijay Shankar Pandey, convener of the Uttar Pradesh IAS Action Group, has expressed faith that honesty triumphs. Speaking at a symposium on “Corruption in administration” organised by the Public Administration Department of Maharshi Dayanand University here today, he said. “When issue is right, there cannot be defeat... It is high time we forsake greed.” Mr Pandey said materialism was the prime cause of corruption. “Nation is more important than an individual or group. We can’t prosper and progress in isolation,” he said. Earlier, Dr S.C. Arora, Head of the Public Administration Department, said “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. He said decline in moral values, the politician-criminal nexus, red tape etc were responsible for the rising corruption. |
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40 pc schools sans principals FARIDABAD, Feb 10 — To cope with the problem the education authorities have given drawing and disbursement powers to the principal or headmaster of a school with regard to other schools without principals. Some of them are looking after seven schools. But on the other hand the discipline and functioning of such schools has been affected adversely according to the staff and students. Much of the routine work is kept pending or delayed as there is no one to discharge the responsibility of the principal or headmaster. According to Education Department sources, as many as 17 posts of principal in 63 senior secondary schools in the district are vacant. There are about 99 high schools of which 48 schools are not having any full-time headmaster. However, only 69 middle schools are reportedly having proper in charges. In primary schools 421 posts of teachers of the total sanctioned strength of 2,725 is vacant. In some of the subdivisions the situation is really worse. According to information, only 170 teachers of the total 770 teachers of primary schools in the Palwal subdivision are presently teaching, while about 500 of them have been sent on census duty in the district. Similarly 50 per cent or more than half of the staff in several schools in other subdivisions have also been deputed on census duty. There is a total staff strength of 3,266 teachers in the middle, high and senior secondary schools of the district, but it is learnt that about 473 posts of teachers in these schools are vacant. One post of the Subdivisional Education Officer in the district is also vacant. In Hathin subdivision only 19 teachers have been left to teach 18,000 students in 97 primary schools. While social activists and parents of a large number of students are a worried lot, the local education authorities feel “helpless” as the appointment or recruitment of staff was the responsibility of the Directorate of Education. |
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Grievances panel meeting held FARIDABAD, Feb 10 — While several problems relating to rural and urban areas came up at the meeting, but some members, including former minister and MLA from Palwal, Karan Singh Dalal, took up the issues concerning the shortage of power and water in villages. He criticised the alleged failure of the district authorities and the Haryana Government to do anything in this regard. Claiming that thousands of acres of rabi crop in the region had come in the “grip” of a draught, he alleged that share of water for south Haryana was diverted to Sirsa district. Mr Dalal objected to the decision of district authorities to call some police officials inside the hall while he was speaking. He accused the administration of “pressurising” him not to speak on these issues. Later talking to The Tribune, Mr Dalal, who is also the convener of the Haryana Wiremen Morcha, said he would not bow down to any pressure and would continue to expose “failures” of the state government. |
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Complete SYL, urge farmers ROHTAK, Feb 10 — Activists of the All-India Krishak-Khet Majdoor Sangathan today staged a dharna in protest against the “anti-people” policies of the Centre and the state government. They shouted slogans against the government and demanded completion of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, withdrawal of hike in power tariff, adequate supply of power and water, especially to the rural areas, sufficient prices for farmers’ produce and repair of link roads. A delegation led Mr Anoop Singh, District Secretary of the Sangathan, submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, through the Deputy Commissioner. He alleged that industrial units, government departments and influential people mainly indulged in power theft while the common man and the farmers had to suffer. |
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Four times increase in population since first
census AMBALA, Feb 10 — The process of census has started in the second most populous nation of the world. Incidentally, about 120 years back, the population of the country was just a quarter of what it is today. The census of Feb 17, 1881, was the first synchronous enumeration which was attempted for all-India and the population figure then was 253,891,821. The report on the census of 1881 states: “Not that no previous count of the people had been effected in the various provinces and states comprising the British Indian empire. In the majority of these states, and in all the British provinces, there has been a previous census. But the enumeration in the various provinces and states has been effected at different times and by independent agencies. There had been no attempt to secure uniformity in the arrangement of the statistics then obtained.” “On the present occasion, the operation has been effected upon a different principle. The work has been done under one controlling authority, and the census was taken on one uniform date,” the 1881 report at the regional repository states. The census of 1881 took in, with the exception of Kashmir, the entire continent of British India, including this term, the feudatory states in political connection with the Government of India. It did not, however, include the French and Portugese colonial possessions, though, through the Portugese Government, a census of the Portugese colonial dominions in India was effected at the same time as the British Indian Census. Then, too, the enumerators had an uphill task during the census. The report states “in a great continent like India, where the masses are uneducated, and where many of the people live in a very primitive condition, it is impossible to enumerate the population after the methods employed in the countries of Europe.” The census then had “aroused considerable apprehension and in one case, the Sonthals in Bengal were so excited that it was necessary to bring down troops.” The report points out: “Passing events gave a handle for some of the rumours which were excited by the census, and either suspicion of forced recruitment for the Afghan war, or of the imposition of a general tax, were the two most prominent opinions put forward by the natives who could not understand what the object of the government could be.” Mr Ibbetson, Superintendent of the Census in Punjab, gives a graphic account of the attitude of the people there. He says, “It was admirable throughout. Occasionally an ill-conditioned faqir or sulky shopkeepers or a nasty tempered old woman would resent the enquiries made of them, and use exceedingly improper language to the enumerator who was questioning them.” On the census night itself, I was appealed to by an enumerator in difficulties, and spent half an hour in listening to abuse of the English government in general and myself in particular, from a sleepy Banya, who, roused from his warm bed, which he had sought too early, sat shivering on the doorstep, and discussing each question before he answered it at most unneccessary length.” The 120-year-old report further states “some rumours were less obviously natural, for instance that search was being made for a lost child of Her Majesty, or for the eternal Mehdi, that government was about to transfer a portion of Bengal and Madras populations to the Punjab, that rain was not allowed to fall till the census was over lest it should wash off the house numbers.” “In the city of Chanda, an absurd rumour existed that on the night of the 17th February, a brass measure would be applied to the breasts of the women, and that those liberally endowed by nature were to be deprived by an operation of the excess,” the report adds. The census shows that emigrants to Punjab came in largest numbers from the adjoining provinces — North West and
Rajputana.
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CM urges people to pay power arrears KALAYAT (Kaithal), Feb 10 — The Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, has urged the people of the state to pay the arrears of electricity bills at the earliest so that development works could be taken up at the right earnest. He said development works would be carried out only in those villages where people would pay their arrears. He was speaking at the second phase of “Sarkar apke dwar” programme here today. He also redressed the grievances of 44 villages of the Kalayat Assembly Constituency. He said development works would be sanctioned to all constituencies without any discrimination. The Chief Minister said his government was committed to providing adequate water and electricity to the people and removing corruption. He said those who had minted money by corrupt practices would be punished under the law and the public money looted would be recovered and spent on the development works. Mr Chautala sanctioned the construction of a college, ITI and a bus stand here on the demand of the people. He also revealed that the Kurukshetra Development Board would soon take up the renovation of Kapil Muni Temple. He announced that with the construction of new water works the people of the state would be provided 70 litres of water per person per day instead of 40 litre at present. He said the government would construct and repair all minors so that water reached the tail end of the fields. |
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District Diary SONEPAT: In Sonepat city and elsewhere in the district, most of the filling stations are allegedly selling adulterated petrol and other petroleum products. These stations give less fuel than indicated since there is no arrangement for public utility service at these filling stations. Vehicle owners are thus forced to buy petrol mixed with solvent which increases air pollution. About 90 per cent of the petrol pump owners are allegedly sell adulterated lubricants to the two-wheelers, which renders the vehicles out of order very soon. One can see the movement of trucks loaded with solvent around petrol stations, particularly late in the night. The solvent is available in the market at Rs 19 per litre and by selling one tanker of the chemical, dealers earn a profit of up to Rs 1 lakh. Vehicle owners complain that at petrol station the staff do not issue receipt for the petrol bought. A few years ago the then District Magistrate had ordered the officials concerned to collect samples of petrol sold at these filling stations. But the petrol dealers raised a hue and cry and threatened to go on strike. Thus the local administration had to stop taking samples. It is alleged that all petrol pump owners regularly pay monthly amounts to officials. When asked whether they pay bribes for ensuring free sale of adulterated petrol, the dealers replied they did so to save themselves from harassment by these officials. They also revealed that no checking of any petrol pump in this town and elsewhere in the district had been made for the past few months. *** Driving is a fashion among youngsters. But this fashion kills, or at least hurts, those on the roads. People have been witnessing such incidents in this town almost daily in the absence of any checking by the traffic police. Apart from being underage and without licence, all those involved in such accidents generally were without helmets. According to a police official, the trend of school children driving on roads is most prevalent during school hours. These teenagers commonly use two-wheelers to commute. Although the minor drivers do not end up in fatal accidents, but these youngsters have the habit of not just overspeeding but also of not wearing helmets. The youngsters also drive it for the thrill and indulge in rash driving. Experts anticipate problems for minor drivers in the coming months. With public and private buses on the roads depleting, the problem can take on grave proportions. If this situation arises, this would make the commuting grim and compel schoolkids to drive their own vehicles. *** Frequent holidays and a five-day week in government offices has adversely affected the working in most government offices in this town and elsewhere. Most employees leave offices early on Friday and come late on Monday, on the pretext of going on field duty and show it as a journey day. In this way, they work only for three days in a week and subject the public to a lot of harassment. Frequent VIP visits also add to the problems as most of the officials remain absent from their offices and can be seen at rest-houses or at venues of functions to be attended by such VIPs. The senior officers of the district always remain with the VIPs till they leave the district. With the heads of the department doing that without any qualms, the subordinate staff too feels no compunctions in following suit. Efficiency and punctuality have become helpless victims to this truancy. Many offices, especially those attached to the irrigation, education and health departments, wear a deserted look. A similar situation persists in government schools and health institutions in both urban and rural areas. In the absence of any effective checking, the situation is going from bad to worse in the rural areas. Indiscipline in most government offices is on the increase. In offices involving public dealing, the people have to wait for hours to consult the right person as they are given a stock excuse by the fellow-employees: “The official is unwell or would be late.” On the other hand, officers feel helpless in checking erring officials, for fear of political action against them. Most government offices resemble centres for chatting and gossip where everyone down from the heads of the departments, remains busy in discussing politics. The few exceptions to this indiscipline are officers of the Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and the Civil Surgeon. *** Electricity worth several lakh of rupees is being stolen not only by the owners of dhabas, hotels and restaurants on the G.T. Road between Murthal and Ganaur but also by the rural and industrial consumers in the district every month. This theft is allegedly done in collusion with certain officials of the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN). The creation of the rural feeders had led to a spurt in power theft cases. Consumers in the villages felt tempted to misuse power as they were get unmetered supply at a fixed rate for tubewells. Besides, the villagers felt free to tap the feeders passing their houses and measures were never taken to curb this misuse or direct for numerous such cases. Farmers with power connections for tubewells, grinding machines or crushers were allowed to tap power in return for fixed payments to the officials involved. This facility was available to a number of consumers. Some district officers, including an IAS officer and an HCS officer, as well as the officials of the CID and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) are said to be leaking official information to their mediapersons in violation of the government instructions. The state government has taken a serious note and is contemplating taking stern action against such officials. This action is being taken on the complaints of those mediapersons who never receive such information from these officials. |
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Man kills brother AMBALA Both the brothers had entered into a brawl at the residence of the deceased when Moti Bahadur picked up an iron rod and attacked Chand Bahadur, injuring him seriously. Chand Bahadur succumbed to his injuries at the civil hospital here. Moti Bahadur, employed with the Public Health Department, later surrendered to the police. He alleged in his statement that his brother had an illicit relationship with his wife. The deceased was a cook at kotwali police station.
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SHO shifted for dereliction of duty SONEPAT, Feb 10 —
According to official sources, Mr Suresh Kumar has been posted in his place. Station House Officer of the Civil Lines Police Station, Mohinder Kumar has already been suspended on a similar charge. |
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