H A R Y A N A

Haryana will generate surplus power: Chautala
Kaithal, February 24
Haryana will not only become self reliant in power generation but it will be in a position to supply surplus power to other states in the near future. This was stated by the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, while addressing a press conference here last night.

NABARD may give 1600 cr to Haryana
Chandigarh, February 24
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development [NABARD] is planning to sanction Rs 1600 crore to Haryana during 2001-2002.

MCs spending 5 pc of funds on development
Hisar, February 24
Ever wondered why your town looks so shabby? Here is the answer. Municipal bodies in Haryana are on an average spending only 5 per cent of their annual budgets on development. Of the remaining, over 75 per cent goes towards salaries and 20 per cent towards other office expenses and repayment of loans.

Various issues to be raised in Budget session: Anil Vij
Ambala, February 24 
Ambala Cantonment MLA, Mr Anil Vij, yesterday said that he was going to raise several major issues concerning his constituency in the forthcoming Assembly Budget session.

Use new ways to produce milk: VC
Kurukshetra, February 24
The Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor, Mr Vinay Kumar, has called upon farmers to adopt new techniques of increasing milk production.

Stamps on temple architecture soon
Ambala, February 24
The next time you want to marvel at Indian temple architecture, which is famous the world over, you may not have to look far. A close look at a letter which you receive may well suffice the Department of Posts is all set to issue a series on the temple architecture of India soon.

Jain’s murder case: suspects identified
Sonepat, February 24
The police has achieved a break through in identifying all three culprits allegedly involved in the broad daylight murder of Dr V.K. Jain, RSS leader and Deputy Registrar of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, on February 21.

Court decision on disputed site
Hisar, February 24
The Judicial Magistrate, Mr Pradeep Kumar, has directed the division of the controversial site in the local Mill Gate area between the two communities.

Police seals 4 units making fake ‘khal’
Ambala, February 24
The Ambala police has sealed four factories in Ambala for allegedly manufacturing “khal”, a traditional fodder made from the husk of mustard and used to get more milk from cattle.

Major does city proud
Ambala, February 24
An Army officer hailing from Ambala has done his parents, peers and the city proud by displaying extraordinary courage and gallant action in counter-insurgency operations for which he has been conferred with Shaurya Chakra on Republic Day.

Snag hits sugar mill working
Ambala, February 24 
Sugarcane farmers find themselves in a difficult situation with the Banoundi sugar mill has been closed for the past two days because of a technical fault. The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said they were watching the situation and he had already spoken to the official concerned, who has assured him that the mill will start functioning from today.

Haryana will generate surplus power: Chautala
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, February 24
Haryana will not only become self reliant in power generation but it will be in a position to supply surplus power to other states in the near future. This was stated by the Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, while addressing a press conference here last night.

Mr Chautala said during the recent past the power generation was hit due to certain reasons but now the situation was improving. He said the Central Government had approved 500 mw gas-based power plants for Yamunanagar, Hisar and Faridabad.

He said 210 mw unit of the Panipat thermal plant would be set in the first week of March and the 6th unit of the Faridabad power plant would start generating power shortly. Besides this, the Panipat refinery would start supplying 365 mw power and this would pave the way for the 24-hour power supply in Haryana.

He said the Kuwaiti-Indo corporation would set up a 500 mw power plant in Himachal and Haryana would get 300 mw power from this source. He said Haryana could not afford to ignore the power sector as large number of units shifting from Delhi were likely to set up their units in Haryana.

Besides this, many companies from Japan were interested in setting up industries in Haryana. He said good law and order situation and pollution free environment in Haryana were other factors which prompted people to set up industries in the state.

Replying to a question by a mediaperson, the Chief Minister said if the Central Government did not increase the minimum support price of wheat, Haryana Government would provide bonus to farmers.

He said his government was pro-farmer, hence the agricultural produce would not be allowed to be sold below the minimum support price.

He said the March 6 rally at Kurukshetra to be addressed by the Prime Minister would be a historic gathering. He said the Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, would dedicate to the nation newly-constructed Panorama Museum and Science Centre to be constructed at a cost of Rs 5.20 crore and Rs 3.65 crore, respectively.

NABARD may give 1600 cr to Haryana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development [NABARD] is planning to sanction Rs 1600 crore to Haryana during 2001-2002.

This will include Rs 1000 crore for crop loan, Rs 400 crore for capital formation and about Rs 200 crore for infrastructure development.

This information was given by the Chief General Manager of the bank, Mr A Ramanathan, at a State Credit Seminar for Haryana for 2001-2002 here. Mr Virender Nath, Financial Commissioner, and Secretary, Institutional Finance and Credit Control of Haryana, was the chief guest.

Mr Virender Nath emphasised on the need to improve expertise in agriculture-related fields and preparation of projects as well as diversification in agriculture and non-agricultural activities for attaining integrated rural prosperity in the state. He was of the opinion that water conservation devices should be popularised for extensive use in the state.

Mr Ramanathan said NABARD had sanctioned Rs 364.23crore to the Haryana Government for the construction of drainage, link roads and bridges under the rural infrastructure development fund so far. These projects would benefit 4,326 lakh hectares of cultivated land, provide connectivity to 187 villages and benefit 23 marketing centres and sugar mills.

MCs spending 5 pc of funds on development
Raman Mohan

Hisar, February 24
Ever wondered why your town looks so shabby? Here is the answer. Municipal bodies in Haryana are on an average spending only 5 per cent of their annual budgets on development. Of the remaining, over 75 per cent goes towards salaries and 20 per cent towards other office expenses and repayment of loans.

Even this figure of 5 per cent is misleading. Most of it is spent on repairing roads in preparation for VIP visits and maintaining roads leading to residences of senior government officers. That leaves just about two per cent for developing a town.

A study of the budgets by this reporter shows that most of the more than 70 municipal bodies in the state are hiking taxes year after year only to maintain themselves rather than maintaining the towns. It reveals that on an average they earmark 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the budget for development. However, the actuals keep going down month after month as these funds are diverted to other non-development activities mostly establishment expenditure. What remains is not able to even take care of maintenance of the existing infrastructure.

The Hisar Municipal Council is a classic example of this. The council earmarked Rs 1.07 crore for development for the current financial year, which was about 14 per cent of the total budget. However, in the first eight months of the financial year, it spent only Rs 13.5 lakh on development. The revised estimate for the current fiscal is Rs 40 lakh under this head. Assuming this figure to be correct, the council would end up spending just about 5 per cent of the budget on development. This is true of every civic body in Haryana.

Have a look at how these bodies are spending to maintain themselves at the cost of the towns. The Hisar Municipal Council budget proposals for the next financial year show an estimated expenditure of Rs 8. 10 crore. Of this, it will spend a whopping 6.87 crore on establishment, Rs 22 lakh on contingencies, Rs 39 lakh on maintenance which only means maintenance of office, buildings and vehicles , Rs 14 lakh on miscellaneous office expenditure and Rs 10 lakh on repaying loans.

For development, it proposes to earmark only Rs 87 lakh or 10 per cent of the budget. The actual, however, will come to less than half of this amount going by the pattern for all civic bodies over the years.

A study shows that in practical terms, development activities remain limited to installing a few handpumps, paving streets, providing a few drains and street lighting points. Many routine expenses on the maintenance of the infrastructure are also covered under this head.

The local Municipal Council, for instance, has earmarked Rs 2 lakh for building staff quarters and this has been counted as development activity. Likewise, Rs 2 lakh has been earmarked on the construction of a slaughterhouse. However, the council has not been able to select a site for the purpose for the past several years. So, in all probability, the funds will be diverted for some other establishment expenses. The same goes for slum clearance for which Rs 3 lakh has been provided under the head of development works.

As a result, the town’s residents will shell out Rs 8 crore in the next year to keep the municipal employees in their jobs. In return all that they will get will be about 12 hand pumps, a few paved streets and some streetlights.

And to cap it all, the housetax rates are certain to be doubled if not more in the next few weeks. Private firms hired for the purpose are already surveying different towns for the purpose. The tax will go up despite strong opposition by an overwhelming majority of elected members of these bodies all over Haryana. So much for the local self-government rule.

Various issues to be raised in Budget session: Anil Vij
Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 24 
Ambala Cantonment MLA, Mr Anil Vij, yesterday said that he was going to raise several major issues concerning his constituency in the forthcoming Assembly Budget session.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Vij said that on earlier occasions too, he had been raising important matters in the Assembly. This time, he was going to raise a number of issues.

Mr Vij said that he would be seeking action to prevent floods in Ambala Cantonment. “I am going to demand for the early relocation of the chara, anaj and subzi mandi and for the early completion of the Tepla substation so that there is alternative source of power, besides the Dhulkot substation,” he said.

He said that the work on canal based scheme must quicken and appropriate lighting on GT road should be there to ensure that there were no accidents. “I am going to demand that the Civil Hospital must be made a 100-bedded hospital and a Yatri Niwas must be constructed at the old bus stand for the convenience of the passengers. Also, there are no local bus stands in Ambala Cantonment which leads to buses stopping haphazardly,” he said.

Mr Vij demanded that there should be a service road along the GT road from Indian Oil to Maharaja Dhaba so that there was no congestion on the GT road. “I have already demanded that a risk analysis of the oil terminals by an international rating agency should be carried out. We also want that IT courses should be introduced in the Government College,” he said.

The MLA said that an underbridge was needed for access to colonies like Railway Colony and Shastri Colony. “The Saha growth centre project must start at the earliest. Another issue is of the need for proper garbage disposal and need for sewerage system,” he said.

“We also want that the courts which had shifted to Ambala City following the burning down of the complex during the anti-reservation agitation, should be brought back. The lease of Rai market and Railway Road shops has ended and early execution of sale to the shopowner should take place,” he said.

Mr Vij stressed that he was not interfering in the functioning of the Municipal Council in any way. “If my constructive suggestions for improvement is considered as intervention then nothing can be done about it,” he said.

He stated that he was not satisfied with the functioning of BJP in the municipal council. “They should understand alliance politics,” he added.

Use new ways to produce milk: VC
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, February 24
The Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor, Mr Vinay Kumar, has called upon farmers to adopt new techniques of increasing milk production.

Mr Vinay Kumar was addressing the farmers at a veterinary and animal science seminar organised jointly by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Department of Animal Husbandry, Kurukshetra, in collaboration with the Rotary and Rotract Club, Ladwa, at the veterinary hospital, Ladwa, 20 km from here, last evening.

He informed that the per capita milk availability in the country was 220 litres against the requirement of 280 litres. The university was providing buffalloes to the panchayats at the subsidised rates.

Highlighting the achievements made in the agriculture sector, Mr Vinay Kumar advised the farmers to go for growing of durum wheat, which had got a huge demand in foreign countries.

He also urged the scientists that they should strive hard to communicate the new techniques among the farmers.

The Kurukshetra Krishi Vigyan Kendra’s Chief Scientist-cum-Head, Prof K.L. Banga, also suggested the unemployed youth and women of villages to adopt dairy farming as a profession.

Prof Banga said that income-generating programme like bee keeping, dairy farming, mushroom cultivation, piggery and horticulture were being organised from time to time by the Kendra for the benefit of rural masses.

While highlighting the activities of the Animal Husbandry Department, Deputy Director Animal Husbandry, Dr Subhash Bagga, said that utmost care should be taken while getting milch animals inseminated.

The Director of Extension Education, HAU, Dr L.S. Suhag, assured that the university experts would not lag behind in reaching the masses for solving their day-to-day problems.

Besides, HAU scientists delivered expert lectures on maintaining pure breed of the Murrah buffallo and suggested ways and means of reducing infertility by proper feeding, breeding, management and disease diagnosis. They further advocated balanced feeding of the animals so that they could get the required energy, protein, minerals and vitamins. Hisar Veterinary College scientists discussed different animal diseases, prevention and their cure. They stressed upon vaccination against foot and mouth and also rinder pest twice in a year.

The Rotary and Rotract, Ladwa, President, Mr Sunil Garg, said that the club organised such programmes, including vaccinating children against polio and hepatitis, and sports activities for youth from time to time. He praised the efforts made by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra and Department of Animal Husbandry for organising such programmes.

Veterinary surgeon, Ladwa, Dr R.S. Dabas, also spoke.

More than 500 farmers, farm women and officials attended the seminar.

Stamps on temple architecture soon
Rahul Dass
Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 24
The next time you want to marvel at Indian temple architecture, which is famous the world over, you may not have to look far. A close look at a letter which you receive may well suffice the Department of Posts is all set to issue a series on the temple architecture of India soon.

The Department of Posts is in close consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India and the Department of Culture for the series on the temple architecture of India.

Mr Gautam Gupta, Member (Operations), Postal Services Board, who had come here for the inauguration of the second Haryana state philatelic exhibition, Harpex — 2001,” yesterday, said the series on the temple architecture of India was likely to start in May. “We are also working on a proposal with the Russian Government for a stamp on cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin,” he said.

He said the department was also working on a series on historical personalities. “The series on historical personalities will include kings like Chandra Gupta Maurya. We are going to bring out a stamp on the 150-year-old Geological Survey of India,” he said.

The three-day “Harpex—2001” has been organised by the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir postal circle.

There are 350 frames displayed in the exhibition and the exhibits on different themes have been set up by National Philatelic Museum, Army Postal Services, India Security Press and philatelists, who have been invited to display their stamp collections. The exhibits displayed in the exhibition have been classified in two classes “invitation class” and “competition class”.

Mr Gupta, while addressing the audience said the exhibition would give a tremendous boost to philately in general and your philatelists in particular.

He said postage stamps were the windows of a nation through which people overseas behold its heritage and nature. “Philately is a means of building cultural bridges among nations by sharing our great cultural heritage,” he said.

“The role of philately in today’s world is changing and acquiring new meaning. From being merely a recreational hobby, it is now being increasingly perceived the world over as an educational tool which acquaints younger generations with art, architecture, flora, fauna, cultural, spiritual and literary heritage and emerging technologies,” he said.

Chief Postmaster-General of Haryana, Mr T.R. Sharma, said the exhibition would provide an excellent opportunity to the youth of Haryana to gain knowledge about philately and adopt the hobby of stamp collection.

Among others, the world’s first stamp, called ‘Penny Black,’ has been put up for display in this exhibition. 

Jain’s murder case: suspects identified
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, February 24
The police has achieved a break through in identifying all three culprits allegedly involved in the broad daylight murder of Dr V.K. Jain, RSS leader and Deputy Registrar of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, on February 21.

Mr Resham Singh, IG, Rohtak range, told mediapersons here last evening that one of the culprits had been identified as Yudhvir Singh, a former student of the local CRA College. He had hatched a conspiracy with his associates for committing the murder of Dr Jain. The police, had launched a massive hunt to apprehend him and his two other associates and police parties had been sent to Delhi, UP and other places of Haryana, Mr Resham Singh said.

He disclosed that during investigations the police found that Yudhvir Singh was the main culprit as he had been trying to take a revenge from Dr Jain after the latter had given a witness in a court against him in a case of murderous assault. He said in 1996 Yudhvir Singh had developed intimacy with a girl student of the college and wanted to marry her. But the girl refused. Thereupon, Yudhvir Singh assaulted her in the classroom when Dr Jain was teaching the class. Dr Jain gave a witness against him in the court in the case. This led to the conviction of Yudhvir Singh in the case.

According to the IG, Yudhvir Singh, released on bail last year, had assaulted a youth in the Garhi Ghasita area. Thereafter, He hatched a conspiracy with two others who were also inmates in the district jail when he was lodged there, for murdering Dr Jain.

The IG said Dr Jain had received several threats on the telephone but he did not seek any help from the police in this regard. The police, he said, had succeeded in finding telephone numbers from which the threat calls were made to Dr Jain.

Meanwhile, The Haryana, Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, visited the residence of Dr Jain here last evening and expressed his sympathy with the members of the bereaved family.

The Chief Minister said Dr Jain was a great social worker and the people had suffered a big loss. He said all culprits involved in the murder would be brought to book soon.

Court decision on disputed site
Our Correspondent

Hisar, February 24
The Judicial Magistrate, Mr Pradeep Kumar, has directed the division of the controversial site in the local Mill Gate area between the two communities.

The Magistrate in his order yesterday said the platform and the disputed place of worship were property of the Punjab Waqf Board, while the open ground and the samadhi of Baba Chander Giri, situated along side the platform belonged to the Hindu community.

There was a two-decade-old dispute between the local Muslims and the Hindus over the site. Both communities had filed suits in the local court in this connection 15 years ago.

Muslims had claimed that the site belonged to the Punjab Waqf Board and there was a mosque and a burial ground of the community on the site.

On the other hand, Hindus had claimed that the site belonged to them and that they had been worshipping here since long. Baba Danasher and Baba Chander Giri, who had looked after the place in the past, belonged to their community.

A big platform, two tombs, a samadhi, an akhara and an open ground are situated on the disputed site. The local court had also stayed prayers on the disputed site in 1997 after which the police had been deployed there.

Police seals 4 units making fake ‘khal’
From Our Correspondent

Ambala, February 24
The Ambala police has sealed four factories in Ambala for allegedly manufacturing “khal”, a traditional fodder made from the husk of mustard and used to get more milk from cattle.

The Superintendent of Police, Ambala, Mr Sandeep Khirwar, said the police had been intimated that spurious ‘khal’ was being manufactured in several factories in Ambala city. He said the police had raided four factories last evening and seized the spurious ‘khal’ in huge quantity. Raids continued till today evening. The original ‘khal’ was sold at Rs 900 per quintal in the market while this duplicate khal costs around Rs 100 per quintal to the manufacturers, he added.

He said the sample, of the ‘khal’ would be sent to the state laboratory for analysis. He said the police suspects that this spurious ‘khal’ was being sold in some neighbouring states also. He said no arrest has made so far in this regard. After the completion of the investigation the line of action would be decided , he added.

Replying a question he said the exact composition and ingredients of the spurious khal was not known. He, however, did not rule out the possibility of use of paddy husk for it.

The ustad was accompanied on the tabla by the innovative Rashid Zafar Khan, a disciple of Ustad Mannu Khan and Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan who is currently learning from tabla maestro Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan and imparting training at Delhi University.

Priority to farm sector: Sampat
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24
The Haryana Institutional Finance and Credit Control Department today envisaged an annual target of Rs 5305.19 crore under the current Annual Credit Plan for the year 2000-2001.

The Haryana Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh, said priority had been accorded to the agriculture and allied sectors since as much as 68 per cent of the total amount of Rs 3599.01 crore had been earmarked for this sector. As much as 21 per cent of the amount, that is Rs 1102.69 crore, was meant for the SSI sector and 11 per cent of the amount (Rs 603.49 crore) had been earmarked for the tertiary sector.

Mr Sampat Singh said at the time of nationalisation of banks in 1969 there were only 174 branches in Haryana with total deposits of Rs 64.10 crore and total advances of Rs 30.27 crore. In March 1999 the number of bank branches were 1468 with total deposits of Rs 14287 crore and a total credit of Rs 6136 crore.

This had increased to 1487 branches in March, 2000, with total deposits of Rs 16813 crore and a total credit of Rs 7083 crore. During the first half year of the current financial year, as on September, 2000, the number of branches stood at 1491 with total deposits of Rs 17843 crore and a total credit of Rs 7254 crore.

Mr Sampat Singh said for evolving plans and programmes for strengthening institutional credit on the one hand and integrating it effectively with the other, developmental agencies on the other services area approach (SAA) was adopted in 1969. Under this approach allocation of different districts was made among commercial banks for assuming a ‘lead’ role in respective districts.

Mr Sampat Singh further said the Punjab National Bank had been assigned the role of lead bank for Haryana and was also working as a lead bank in 17 districts out of the 19 districts of the state, except in case of Gurgaon and Faridabad where the Syndicate Bank was the lead bank.

Cong to support Haryana bandh
Our Correspondent

Faridabad, February 24
The Haryana unit of the Congress will support the proposed Haryana bandh called by the Haryana Beopar Mandal on March 5.

The bandh is in protest against the hike in various taxes and power tariff. This was stated by the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee chief, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, yesterday.

Mr Hooda who was here in connection with mobilisation for tomorrow’s kisan rally in Delhi, said the party would support any move or agitation launched against the anti-people policies of the Chautala government.

Addressing a meeting of Congress workers and leaders, he lambasted the union and state governments. Claiming that the situation on the Agriculture Front had worsened.

He said the farmers would block all roads leading to the national Capital.

He said the government had been withdrawing subsidies to the farmers, marking agriculture a non-profitable exercise.

Criticising the recent hike in power rates, house tax and professional tax, he claimed that people of Haryana had got fed up with the “misrule” of the INLD government.

CIMMYT scientists visit village
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, February 24
A delegation of senior Scientists from the CIMMYT, Mexico, led by Prof Timothy G. Reeves, Director-General, today visited Mathana village, 12 km away from here, and assessed the impact of resource conserving technologies adopted by farmers of the state.

The CIMMYT team is on a three-day visit from February 24 to 26 to ascertain the views of farmers about the new technique of “Zero Till Drill; The CIMMYT is an international organisation for maize and wheat improvement, where the dwarf high-yielding varieties of wheat were developed for the first time in the world by noble laureate, Dr Norman E. Borlaug. The high-yielding varieties paved the way for the green revolution and Haryana was one of the first states to reap the benefits.

Welcoming the delegation, Mr Naseem Ahmad, Financial Commissioner and Secretary, Agriculture, at Mathana village, said the state had made phenomenal progress in agriculture production and had contributed about 4.5 metric tonnes of foodgrain to Central pool.

Mr Ahmad said farmers were using increased doses of fertilisers to sustain the productivity level of principal crops in the state. On the other hand, due to stagnation, the income of farmers had declined substantially. He said the government promoted resource conservation technologies to reduce the cost of cultivation so that agriculture production remains a profitable venture.

Mr Ahmad said the peasantry of Haryana was known for hard work and receptiveness for new technologies as they were so quick to adopt these technologies which were not only cost effective but were eco-friendly also. He said the zero till sowing of wheat in particular had become quite popular in the state for which the CIMMYT might make significant contribution through rice-wheat consortium. He expressed hope that the area under these technologies would expand further.

Make orthopaedic cures accessible: Governor
Jatinder Sharma

Rohtak, February 24
Stressing the need for increasing infrastruture to make orthopaedic treatment accessible to all people, the Haryana Governor, Mr Parmanand, has advised the doctors to devise methods of treatment which could help in maintaining the original form of the body without resorting to avoidable cuts and amputations.

Inaugurating the 20th annual conference of the North Zone Indian Orthopaedic Association at the PGIMS here, he said that doctors were expected not to practise medicine with the sole aim of earning their livelihood but must keep in view the health of the patients.

“His approach, dealing and conduct should provide a healing touch, soothing effect and relief to the patients”, the Governor said.

Mr Parmanand said that after Independence, medical education in India had expanded with rapidity. As a result, it is reported that one lakh doctors have degrees but are without jobs.

Medical science has grown so vast that nobody can possibly be completely updated about all its fields. Hence the need for specialisation has become inevitable, the Governor said.

The Governor said that the orthopaedic surgery had brought new hope and relief to humanity. But the general impression that had gained ground was that the treatment was expensive and out of the reach of the poor because most of the joints, plates, nails and other implants were imported from the West.

He said that keeping in view the ground realities in India and the economic constraints, professionals and executives of the orthopaedic industry should try to bring the cost of equipment down and maintain the quality of treatment.

As many as 350 orthopaedic surgeons from all over the country, specially from Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh Eastern Rajasthan, attended the conference. Dr Anant Joshi from Mumbai presented live demonstration of a arthroscopic surgery.

Prominent among those present included Maj Gen (Retd) B.S. Suhag, Vice-Chancellor, Maharshi Dayanand University, Dr S.B. Siwach, Director, PGIMS, Rohtak, Dr S.S. Gill, President, North Zone India Orthopaedics Association, and Mr Jai Kishan Sharma, Pro Vice Chancellor.

Mill workers clash, 1 dead
Our Correspondent

Rewari, February 24
One person died on the spot while two of his associates were injured following a clash between two rival groups of workers of Pasupati Spinning and Weaving Mills, Kapriwas near Dharuhera, last evening. The deceased has been identified as Ram Naresh.

They have been admitted to Raman Munjal Hospital, Dharuhera, where Ram Naresh succumbed to his injuries.

The body of Naresh has been sent to his native town Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh. It is stated that Ram Naresh and his associates, who had earlier been suspended by the management of the factory, were at loggerheads with the loyalists, who have been running the factory despite their opposition.

The Dharuhera police has registered a case of murder and rioting against the suspects. Besides, heavy police contingents have been posted at the factory to keep the situation under control.

CM asks DGP to probe racket
Our Correspondent

Panipat, February 24
The Chief Minister has reportedly ordered an investigation into a Rs 500- crore racket that had been going on for the past one decade in Haryana. About 12 officials are reportedly involved in this racket.

According to sources, the state vigilance department has registered cases against officers of these three departments.

The previous government of Mr Bansi Lal had stopped this practice with effect from 1999 and ordered an investigation. Some BJP leaders wanted to secure the clearance of a file and sought an exemption of Rs 200 crore from the then Chief Minister in connection with case. Mr Bansi Lal refused to accept it and possibly this was one of the reasons for differences between the then ruling parties. The racket involved irregularities committed in exemption of the excise duty to industrial units established without obtaining requisite certificate for change of land use and securing tax exemption. The industrial racket surfaced from Panipat and Karnal and a sum of Rs 90 crore was involved and the file relating to over Rs 200 crore was under process. 

Doctors for crisis management group
Our Correspondent

Sirsa, February 24
A district-level crisis management group should be constituted to meet any emergency situation. This was stated by the people attending a meeting organised at the local Shiv Shakti Blood Bank by the newly constituted studies centre, Panchnad, here yesterday.

The topic of discussion was “Gujarat Catastrophe and Lessons”. Among those who attended the gathering were doctors, educationists and social workers. They expressed concern over a large-scale loss of life and property and delay in carrying out relief work in Gujarat.

On this occasion representatives of various social organisations came forward to bear the responsibilities of the crisis management group. Mr Sanjay Mehta, Medical Representative Union, offered to supply medicines while Mr Vaid Sriniwas of the Nehru Park Seva Samiti stressed on proper use of human resource. 

Major does city proud
From Rahul Das
Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 24
An Army officer hailing from Ambala has done his parents, peers and the city proud by displaying extraordinary courage and gallant action in counter-insurgency operations for which he has been conferred with Shaurya Chakra on Republic Day.

Born at Dheen village near Ambala cantonment, Maj Sukhmeet Singh, is a son of a retired Army Colonel. An alumnus of Officer Training Academy, Chennai, Maj Sukhmeet Singh did his schooling from different kendriya vidyalayas and graduation for St Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad, and SGGS College, Chandigarh.

Col Balwant Singh (retd), the proud father of Maj Sukhmeet Singh, told Chandigarh Tribune that his son had been awarded Shaurya Chakra for displaying extraordinary courage while facing the insurgents. “On May 18, 2000, while deployed in most trying and tough counter-insurgency conditions in Manipur, my son, Maj Sukhmeet Singh, was tasked to clear one double storeyed house in which six insurgents were holed up and had kept two civilians as hostages,” Col Balwant Singh (retd) said.

Without fear for life, Maj Sukhmeet Singh, along with his party hurling hand grenades, stormed into the house and in the ensuing encounter not only managed to save the life of the civilians but also killed all the six insurgents. They recovered large quantity of arms and ammunition, which included one UMG, two AK-47, two SLR, one 303 rifle, Chinese handgrenades, rocket bombs and a large amount of ammunition.

Snag hits sugar mill working
Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 24 
Sugarcane farmers find themselves in a difficult situation with the Banoundi sugar mill has been closed for the past two days because of a technical fault.

The Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said they were watching the situation and he had already spoken to the official concerned, who has assured him that the mill will start functioning from today.

“A meeting had been held two days back regarding payments to the farmers. The mill management has been asked to pay, for a week, the farmers for six days immediately and the payment for one day a little later,” he said.

Mr Gautam said the district administration had intervened to ensure timely payment to the farmers.

The General Manager of the mill, Mr Hem Raj, said the mill would start functioning from today. “Due to the breakdown in the sugar mill, the trolleys had lined up,” he said.

Hooda : govt selling farmers’ interests
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, February 24
The President of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC), Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said that the February 25 “kisan bachao, desh bachao” rally in the Capital would prove to be the Waterloo of the BJP-led NDA Government which was bent upon selling the interests of farmers to multinational companies in the name of liberalisation.

PCC meeting at Bhiwani
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24
Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, has called a general body meeting of the PCC at Bhiwani on February 27. 

The meeting will be attended by all AICC members from Haryana, president of the district congress committees, members of the PCC, MPs and MLAs of the state.