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| Tuesday,
March 20, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Haryana
BJP begins damage control Pehowa
given facelift for mela Ambala MC to file
suit against Punjab Bid to
loot money, 1 shot at Haryana
bricks being sold in Delhi FMD disease strikes
in Ambala |
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Contract
for felling trees kicks up row Pensioners
seek exemption from house tax Special
lok adalat held A clash of
two XENs Invigilators
shifted Mountaineering
expedition planned
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Haryana BJP begins damage
control Ambala, March 19 Talking to mediapersons here yesterday, BJP state unit President Ratan Lal Kataria said a meeting was going to be held at Gurgaon on March 20. “The meeting will be attended by party MPs, MLAs and office-bearers. It will be presided over by former president Kushabhau Thakre,” he said. Mr Kataria alleged that the Congress was not interested in investigation or discussion on the Tehelka issue. Mr Kataria claimed that it was a pre-planned attempt to malign the image of the BJP. “The whole plan for maligning our leaders was conceived before the Bangalore programme of the Congress. This was done as the Congress leaders are losing the support of the people,” he said. “After Mr Bangaru Laxman took over as the party president, we had begun to get the support of the minorities as well as the backward classes. The Congress and the Left felt that they are losing support from their vote bank so this episode took place. Even the communal riots in Kanpur are also a part of this,” he said. The president said there were several allegations on the Congress. “The hawala scam, Bofors and urea scam took place during the Congress rule. The BJP has decided to expose the corrupt. The Prime Minister has already assured investigation by Supreme Court judge into the matter,” he said. Mr Kataria said: “We are going to come out with the truth and expose those who are behind Tehelka.com issue.” He admitted that the party has suffered a temporary setback. “However, a clear picture will emerge after the investigation,” he maintained. |
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Pehowa given facelift for
mela Pehowa Over 80 per cent of the pilgrims are Sikhs and hail from the Malwa region of Punjab, comprising the districts of Patiala, Sangrur, Ropar, Faridkot, Bathinda, Malerkotla and parts of Ludhiana. The annual fair, therefore, presents a unique unity of the Hindu-Sikh culture and their age-old common traditions. As per Hindu mythological texts, King Yudhisthra had offered, “pinds” in memory of all those killed in the Mahabharata war here. In the 19th century Maharaja Ranjit Singh and two Sikh Gurus had visited the “teertha” to fulfil their obligations towards their ancestors. A gurdwara where the shoes of Guru Gobind Singh are preserved stands as a symbol of Hindu-Sikh unity at the Saraswati tank. Mr Girish Arora, Chief Executive Officer of the KDB, told TNS that the renovation of the Saraswanti tank had been completed within 18 months. The cost of the project was Rs 1.03 crore. A former Governor of Haryana, Mr Mahabir Prasad, had conceived the idea of renovating the entire tank area under KDB supervision. Mr Arora disclosed that the renovation of the women’s ghat was completed on March 31 last year. The renovation of the ghats for men has also been completed. Only the parking area is still incomplete as land acquisition is still going on. Under the renovation project, a retaining wall has been provided on all four sides of the sarovar. Earlier, in its absence there was always fear of drowning deaths in the tank. Furthermore, a bathing platform of 20 feet width has also been provided on all sides of the sarovar for the convenience of pilgrims. There is also a 40-feet-wide platform for pilgrims to walk around the sarovar. The entire area around the sarovar has been illuminated. Two tubewells for supplying fresh water to the sarovar have been made functional. As a long-term measure, there is a plan to renovate the Saraswati river from Prachi teertha up to Gledwa drain. Mr Arora maintained that upstream of the Saraswati up to Prachi teertha would be cleared for ensuring perennial flow of water into the tank. Besides, a pipeline from the Ambala road up to the teertha is being laid. The first phase of the work is complete while the second stage is in progress. While undertaking renovation, all old structures had been kept intact. To facilitate bathing by women during mela, Ranighat has been covered. Besides, water from Pret Peepal has been thrown into the sarovar by forming a duct. This will keep the area around it dry during the mela days and there would be no incidents of falling because of slippery ghats. Mr Gurmeet Singh, SDM (Civil) who is Mela Administrator, told TNS that entire mela area has been divided into five sectors. A magistrate and a police officer would be given charge of each sector. The state government had sanctioned Rs 5.50 lakh for the mela. About five lakh pilgrims were expected to visit the mela during the three-day celebrations. Roads were being recarpeted and the Purana Bazaar area has been widened. Two boats, one each for the women’s ghat and another for the male one would ply in the sarovar, with swimmers and divers to prevent drowning. Besides, eight medical camps would be set up to provide free medicine to the pilgrims during the mela days. Fogging of the entire area is being undertaken to clear it of germs. The Mela Administrator said that 600 jawans of the Haryana Police as well as the Home Guard would be on duty during the mela. Besides, volunteers of social organisations, including Mahabir Dal and Bhartia Seva Samiti, would also be there to look after pilgrims. Fresh water had already been filled into the tank. |
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Ambala MC to file
suit against Punjab Ambala, March 19 The Punjab Government claims that this land is its property and during combined Punjab the tubewells for supplying drinking water to the Ambala people were dug there. The Ambala City council claims the ownership for the trees planted on this land. A resolution in this regard was adopted at the meeting of council held here today. The meeting was presided by its president, Mr Rajinder Guddu. The council also decided at the meeting to provide winter dress and shoes to the employees of the fire brigade department. In another resolution, the council decided to proceed legal action against the Wakf Board for allotting a piece of land at Albarpur to some persons which is owned by the municipal council. The Congress councillors opposed some of the resolutions and said those were not brought in proper procedure. The BJP councillors said these were brought in proper way. One councillor picked up a chair and tried to assault another councillor. There were no injury report. Later the Congress councillors, Dharmpal Chadda and Bharat Rattan, said the council had not been working in the interest of the city. As many as 12 councillors belong to Congress group were present in the meeting while 16 members of the ruling group were present. Three of the councillors did ‘not attend the meeting today. |
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Bid to loot money, 1 shot
at Faridabad, March 19 The culprits who could not loot the money, however, were able to flee after freeing one of their accomplices who was captured by local residents just before the firing. According to information, the incident took place outside the shop of Mr V.P. Goyal, owner of ‘Om Electrical Sales’, when his employee, Sunil, came from a nearby bank after withdrawing Rs 60,000. It is reported that when Sunil was parking his two-wheeler outside the shop, three youths who had covered their faces with a cloth brought their mobike to a halt near him. The youths tried to snatch the bag containing the cash from him, but Sunil resisted and raised the alarm. About 10 to 15 persons, including Mr Goyal, rushed for his help and overpowered one of the youths. Two of his accomplices who first drove off on their mobike, sensing problem, returned after two minutes and fired at the crowd. A bullet hit on the forehead of Mr V.P. Goyal, injuring him critically. He has referred to a hospital in Delhi by the local Escorts Hospital. The culprits fled on the motorcycle after the crowd got scared of the firing. One shot was reportedly fired in the air to stop the residents from chasing them. The police has booked a case and started a drive to arrest the culprits. It may be recalled two mobike-borne armed youths had looted Rs 2 lakh from the cashier of a factory in the Mewla Maharajpur area of the city about three weeks ago. |
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Haryana bricks being
sold in Delhi Sonepat, March 19 According to an estimate, at least 50 to 100 truckloads of bricks are being sent to Delhi by brick-kiln owners of the district despite the ban imposed on the export of bricks by the state government. The brick-kiln owners are reportedly charging Rs 2,000 for 1,000 bricks against Rs 1,350 per 1,000 bricks fixed by the district authorities. In Sonepat city itself, the brick-kiln owners had been selling bricks at the rate of Rs 1,700 or more per 1,000 thereby earning more profit in connivance with the officials of the department concerned. It is alleged that the officials of the department have been making money by ignoring practices of the brick-kiln owners. The police authorities too remain mum on the subject. The brick-kiln owners, it is also alleged, had been indulging in the malpractices and evading the payment of Sales Tax on the sale of bricks to the people of Delhi. Many brick-kiln owners of Delhi, it may be recalled, had shifted their business to villages of this district which were near the Haryana-Delhi border after the Delhi Government ordered the closure of brick-kilns to check pollution. The brick-kiln owners then started functioning from the villages close to Delhi. Representatives of various political parties, social, religious and voluntary organisations as well as trade unions have protested against the unauthorised sale of bricks to the people of Delhi by owners of brick-kilns and urged the state government to order a high-level probe into the scandal and punish the officials found guilty of not curbing the malpractice. They also alleged that certain officials of the department concerned were in league with the brick-kiln owners who were selling the bricks on the blackmarket. They also demanded immediate transfers of such officials to ensure an independent and impartial probe on the issue. |
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FMD disease strikes
in Ambala Ambala, March 19 Cases of cattle suffering from FMD has been reported from the nearby villages and it has caused concern to the villagers whose livestock has been affected by
FMD. Although the disease does not necessarily leads to mortality of the animal, it severely affects the milk producing capacity of the cattle and causes significant weight loss to the ‘meat’ animals. A veterinary doctor said FMD was an infectious disease. “We recommend vaccination at least twice a year so that the cattle does not fall prey to
FMD. However, we have witnessed cases where even the vaccinated animals have got this disease. I feel that it could be a new strain,” he said. The veterinarian said the new strain was yet to identified. “India is not the only country which has this problem. Even the neighbouring countries are facing several problems due to
FMD,” he explained. “The even-footed animals are susceptible to
FMD,” he added. He observed that FMD used to take place after the rains in October-November, but for the last two years, the disease was taking place in February-March. “The symptoms are clean. Once FMD takes place, the animals has high fever and continuos salivation. Due to the heavy salivation, the animal will not be able to open the mouth, in which ulcers are likely to take place. Due to ulcer formation in the foot, the animal will find difficulty in walking,” he said. The veterinarian stated that farmers were greatly affected due to the spread of
FMD. “This disease causes weight loss and the milk capacity comes down. Panting takes place in the exotic breeds,” he said. A farmer whose cattle was suffering from FMD said initially it was totally unexpected. “I have four buffaloes and I supply milk in the nearby areas. When I first noticed the symptoms, I did not realise that it was
FMD. Now, it has spread to my other buffaloes. I am only hoping that they recover quickly,” he said. The farmer observed that due to the spread of FMD in
Ambala, there had been a marked decline in the buying and selling of cattle. “People are waiting for FMD to subside before buying cattle,” he said. The Deputy Commissioner of
Ambala, Mr D.D. Gautam, said treatment for FMD was being given through veterinary hospitals and other centres in the district. “Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry is looking after the efforts to check the spread of FMD in the district. Regular camps are held, in which awareness is generated regarding this disease,” he said. He added that he would have to check up whether a new strain of FMD had affected the animals here. |
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Contract for felling
trees kicks up row Rohtak, March 19 Labourers of the contractor allegedly cut down several green trees, including that of eucalyptus. The matter came to light on Saturday when some university employees caught the labourers red-handed while felling green trees. The agitated employees immediately reported the matter to the Registrar, Dr Satpal Singh Dahiya, who ordered that no vehicle carrying kikar or eucalyptus trees would move outside the campus till further orders. The forest officials said felling of green trees was a criminal offence and action might be taken against the erring person under the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act. Interestingly, security personnel of the university had caught a tractor-trailer loaded with green trees on the campus, last week, and the matter was reported to the police. The same contractor was found involved in the unlawful felling and transportation of the green trees and a case was registered against him. According to sources, the university administration had entered into a contract of cutting down nearly 2,100 dried-up kikar trees at a rate of Rs 8,200 per acre. The sources claimed that the contract was given at a much higher price as the same work could got done at a rate of nearly Rs 2,500 per acre. The university authorities had marked the kikar trees for being felled. However, the employees alleged that the contractor himself started marking green trees and then cutting them down. They alleged that it was not only a criminal offence but also a move to cause huge loss to the university exchequer. Mr Rajbir Rahar, a former president of MDU Non-Teaching Employees Association, has demanded a thorough inquiry into the matter and the suspected involvement of university officials into the alleged irregularities. On one hand, the university sources claimed that only dried-up kikar trees were involved in the contract, while, on the other Col R.S. Malik, estate officer of the university, said some eucalyptus trees were also marked under the contract. |
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Pensioners seek exemption from house tax Yamunanagar, March 19 He said their main demands included an increase of 5 per cent and 10 per cent in the basic pension on attaining the age of 70 and 80 years, respectively, as was being done in other states. He reminded that Mr Devi Lal, the then Chief Minister of Haryana, had announced at a meeting of the pensioners of the state held at Karnal that an increase of 5 per cent at the age of 70 years and 10 per cent at the age of 80 years would be allowed to pensioners, but it was not implemented. He demanded family pension for handicap children of pensioners on the pattern of Centre, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Mr B.M. Bakshi, patron of the association stated that a free heart check-up camp by an Escort team would be organised on April 15. Mr Jodh Singh, chief patron, also spoke on the occasion. They gave a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner for sending it to the Chief Minister. |
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Special lok adalat held Karnal, March 19 Addressisng the gathering on this occasion, Mr Justice Bali exhorted the lawyers to properly guide the litigants. He said the concept of lok adalats was conceived to provide cheap and speedy justice to the people and it was becoming popular. The District and Sessions Judge, Mr N.C. Nahta, said the first lok adalat here was organised in 1985 and 45 adalats had been organised so far. As many as 284 bank loan cases were settled in this lok adalat by five courts of Additional District and Sessions Judge set up for this purpose. A total of 1,223 cases were registered in the adalat. The courts ordered to recover about Rs 1.88 crore from 284 bank loanees as per mutual agreement through compromise. |
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Invigilators shifted Fatehabad, March 19 It may be recalled that the teacher on supervisory duty at the examination centre at Kirdhan village, was manhandled by a villager when she refused to allow the girls to indulge in copying. After the publication of the news, a team of senior officers of the Education Department led by the Haryana School Education Board Chairman, Mr Sher Singh, and the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Mr Pushp Raj Singh, raided the centre. The entire staff of the centre, including the Superintendent and supervisors, was shifted with immediate effect and action was being initiated against the guilty villager. |
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Mountaineering
expedition planned Karnal, March 19 According to Capt Jasbir Singh, the Registrar of Sainik School, Kunjpura, near here, the school has planned a mountaineering expedition from May 27 to June 20. The students will climb Shitidhar (5250m) and Ladakhi (5342m) peaks in the Manali region during this period. The expedition will be led by Mr J.S. Gulia, Hostel Superintendent of the school. The school has already organised a mountaineering expedition in the Leh region. Six held, arms recovered Ambala, March 19 The Inspector General of Police, Mr Hari Singh
Ahlawat, said the CIA staff had nabbed six persons from which one pistol. 315 bore, five cartridges. 12 bore gun and two knives were recovered. The arrested persons have been identified as Balwan Singh,
Rakesh, Ram Mehar, Rajinder, Surendra and Rajbir. |
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Arya Samaj donates Rs 1 lakh for Gujarat Ambala, march 19 |
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