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| Thursday,
March 22, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Nitish: no
money paid to Samata Tehelka
expose paralyses Houses Thackeray
‘didn’t’ seek sack of PM’s men NCP wants
PM to remove Mishra It is a
conspiracy: BJP |
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CBI has
to seek nod before probe PM rules
out deployment of Army Army may
be asked to disarm rebel cops Sudarshan
firm on temple Stalemate
in DMK over seats Cong,
TC join hands to fight CPM Cong
chief whip beaten up NORTH INDIA IN
PARLIAMENT
Sexual
harassment by cops : HC orders probe 32
Navymen get NSMs, VSMs Irate
mob attacks govt nursery Transport
water by trains, officers told
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Nitish: no money paid to Samata New Delhi, March 21 “Where is Rs 2 lakh? There is no money and neither is there anyone receiving the money. All these are wild allegations,” the Union Railway Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar told newspersons here today. Neither the Union Consumer Affairs Minister, Mr Srinivasa Prasad, was present in Delhi nor the person, to whom the money was allegedly paid, was shown or his voice heard in the Tehelka tapes, a senior leader of the Samata Party, Mr Nitish Kumar, said. Mr Prasad, who was also present at the press conference, denying the allegations said he was not in the town during the said time. Ms Jaitley, resigned from the post following the Tehelka expose, which claimed that Rs 2 lakh were given to a person in her presence at the official residence of the then Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, on December 28, 2000. Mr Prasad said after the adjournment of the winter session of Parliament, he left for Karnataka on December 23, 2000. And he toured Mysore and its adjacent areas, wherein his constituency is located during the time the alleged money transaction took place. When asked why Ms Jaitley did not raise this issue for the past one week or could she identify the persons who were present in the room at the time of the alleged “arms deal” conversation, Mr Nitish Kumar chose to keep silent. Mr Nitish Kumar parried the question as to whether the party accepted money from anyone. He merely repeated “where was the money paid....Ms Jaitley had asked the person to give it to Mr Prasad.” “If the money was not given to Mr Prasad, who took it,” he asked. Demanding a probe into the matter, Mr Nitish Kumar released the tour programme of Mr Prasad to substantiate his claims. The Rural Development Minister and a senior BJP leader, Mr Venkaiah Naidu, who was present at the press meet, said all allegations of the Tehelka were being minutely scrutinised. Terming the “expose” as a well-planned out conspiracy against the Vajpayee government, he said the inquiry instituted by the government would bring out the truth and the motives behind the “Tehelka”.
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Tehelka expose paralyses Houses New Delhi, March 21 The vote-on-account for the General and Railway Budgets would enable the government to draw from the Consolidated Fund for payment of salaries and to meet other expenditure from April 1 onwards for three months. Unlike yesterday’s pandemonium in the Lok Sabha when the vote-on- account was approved, it was a smooth affair in the Rajya Sabha which also approved by voice vote appropriation bills for the last batch of supplementary demands for grants for the current year. Members were again up in arms as soon as the money bills were approved forcing adjournment of the House. In the Lok Sabha, the Opposition, led by the Congress, stormed the well chanting “gali, gali mein shor hai, yeh sarkar chor hai” (there are shouts everywhere that government is corrupt) while the ruling NDA members countered by accusing the Congress of being corrupt. As the turmoil continued when the house met at noon after an hour-long adjournment, Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi called it a day. As per constitutional requirement, the demands for grants on account of both General and Railway Budgets and the connected appropriation bills had to be passed by both Houses and assented to by the President by March 31. The vote-on-account for the General Budget entails the government to withdraw up to Rs 1,19,411 crore while the one for Railways enables withdrawal of Rs 11,802.72 crore. Meanwhile ‘People’s Front’ has deplored and denounced the Vajpayee Government for its “shameless” refusal to quit office despite being squarely in the dock for sordid corruption in defence purchases, endangering security of the nation. In a statement, the Delhi state units of the constituents of the People’s Front said the brazen statement of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to give a clean chit to the culprits and describing the allegations against them as false, speaks volumes about his resolve to stick to power at all costs. It also shows that the investigation promised by the government will be nothing but an eyewash.
PTI, UNI
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Thackeray ‘didn’t’ seek sack of PM’s men New Delhi, March 21 It was written by Saamna co-editor Sanjay Rauth and not by Mr Thackeray and the Sena chief “is not happy with the editorial,” its leader in Lok Sabha Anant Geete told reporters here. Denying reports that Mr Thackeray had demanded the resignation of PMO officials, including Brajesh Mishra, he said the editorial reflected the views of its co-editor and not the party chief. “Wrong information is being circulated. Nowhere has he (Thackeray) demanded the resignation of Mr Mishra or Mr N.K. Singh nor has he given any statement or interview in this regard,” Geete said.
PTI |
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NCP wants PM to remove Mishra New Delhi, March 21 “After the press conference, Mr Mishra’s continuity in his present office has become untenable. Prime Minister Vajpayee will do well to remove his Principal Secretary and thus restore at least a semblance of equilibrium in the inner working of the Cabinet System,” NCP general secretary and chief spokesperson, Mr Devendra Nath Dwivedi said in a statement here. “By holding a press conference (on the tehelka expose) to explain his official conduct Mr Brajesh Mishra has committed a serious breach of parliamentary conventions and violated the rules governing the conduct of civil servants,” he said. On the other hand, the Prime Minister’s decision to permit such impropriety is a clear case of “abdication” of Prime Ministerial responsibility, Mr Dwivedi said. “Mr Mishra’s gratuitous remark that he is willing to resign if it helps the Prime Minister sounds ministerial, almost giving the impression that he regards himself not an extra-Constitutional but a Constitutional centre of authority,” he said, adding “Officers do no resign under the principle of responsibility; ministers resign. The officers are sacked or removed.” “By this single act, even if at the behest of the Prime Minister, he (Mr Mishra) has proved his unsuitability for the high-profile job with almost retrospective effect,” Mr Dwivedi added.
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It is a conspiracy: BJP New Delhi, March 21 Talking to mediapersons, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V.K. Malhotra said the involvement of the Congress behind these incidents could not be ruled out as these had happened on the eve of assembly elections in five states. The judicial inquiry into the tehelka.com allegations should also look into the conspiracy aspect also, Professor Malhotra hoped, adding that there were widespread efforts to kick up communal trouble on the basis of rumours of burning of Qoran in Delhi while people of the capital were totally unaware of such an incident. The government was very much concerned about the violence in Kanpur and Home Minister L K Advani was in touch with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh to keep abreast of the situation. Mr Malhotra said it was unfortunate that Congress and the other Opposition parties were not allowing Parliament to function and therefore many issues of public interest could not be taken up for discussion. It was ironic that the Congress, which had stalled the proceedings in the Parliament, was seeking time on the Doordarshan for its President Sonia Gandhi to put forth her party’s view points. He clarified the Prasar Bharati was an autonomous body and government had little role in its functioning. Defence Minister George Fernandes was given time on the Doordarshan as he was unable to clarify his position in the Parliament prior to his resignation. Meanwhile, the BJP today clarified that Mr K. Jana Krishnamurthi’s appointment as the party President would be formalised in due course. Mr Malhotra described as baseless, reports appearing in some sections of the media that Mr Krishnamurthi had been made acting President and affirmed that it would soon be ratified as required by the party’s constitution. Rural Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, whose name figured along with Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj, as one of the aspirants for presidentship of the party, himself denied being in the race. “There is no case of race for the presidentship,’’ he said.
CBI has to seek nod before probe New Delhi, March 21 This provision had been struck down by the Supreme Court in its order dated December 18, 1997, in the Vineet Narain’s case. A joint committee of Parliament headed by Mr Sharad Pawar, which examined the Central Vigilance Bill, 1999, which was referred to it in December, 1999, has recommended that this “single directive” for prior permission of the Secretary of the department/ministry concerned should be restored. The Cabinet yesterday decided to accept all recommendations of the joint parliamentary
committee. According to one of the recommendations, the commission will only exercise superintendence under policy guidelines already laid down by the government and not lay down any directions relating to policy matters. Members of the Central Vigilance Commission, apart from the Chairman, will also be members of the selection committee to select the CBI Director or the Enforcement Director. The commission will have two members apart from the Chairman. The Bill had made provision for a five-member commission including the Chairman. The CVC will send an annual report to the President within six months of the end of the year. The Chairman and members of the commission will all have a term of four years (until now, members had a tenure of three years) and the age of retirement is 65. Members will be eligible for the posts of Chairman for the remaining term of their four-year term. The Chairman on ceasing to hold office, is ineligible for re-appointment in the commission. Both Chairman and members have been made ineligible for appointment as diplomats, administrators, any appointment made by the President, or any office of profit under the central or state governments. |
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PM rules out deployment of Army New Delhi, March 21 This was stated by Mr Vajpayee, when an all-party delegation of Muslim MPs called on him to demand the deployment of the Army in place of the PAC. Coal Minister and BJP MP Syed Shahnawaz Hussain told newsmen after the 30-minute meeting that the Prime Minister felt that the situation was now under control and the UP Government could handle it. Mr Hussain said the Prime Minister was of the view that the Army could not be deployed everywhere. And the report he had received conveyed that the situation was under control. BSP MP Rashid Alvi said the Prime Minister was determined to believe the UP Government’s view that the situation was under control and not to consider the demand for deployment of the Army. “All MPs from various parties were trying to convince him but he does not want to listen,” Mr Alvi said. Stating that there was a great danger of the attacks on the minorities spreading to other parts of the state and even the rest of the country, Mr Alvi alleged that there was a definite game plan by the government to abet riots to divert attention of the people from the Tehelka expose. KANPUR (UNI): With the situation gradually limping back to normalcy, the district administration on Wednesday lifted the day curfew from the Raipurwa locality and prolonged the curfew relaxation period in other localities falling under eight police stations of the city. An official spokesman told UNI here that in view of the improvement in the situation, the administration had decided to lift the curfew in the Raipurwa locality between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. from today. However, the night curfew would continue as a precautionary measure. The situation was peaceful in the city and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere. Meanwhile, a Congress peace mission led by party General Secretary and former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad arrived here today to tour the riot-affected areas. However, members of the mission were not allowed to visit the affected areas. The were only allowed to meet the injured at the hospital and the family members of Additional District Magistrate (Finance) C.P. Pathak who also died in the riots on Friday. |
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Army may be asked to disarm rebel cops Patna, March 21 It is strange how the ruling party and almost the entire opposition parties are vying with each other to defend a political heavyweight, the MP of Siwan, Md. Shahabuddin, who is a fugitive of law and an “unbridled satrap” of an empire protected by brute terror power and sustained by means not above board. The 30 criminal cases and number of arrest warrants against his name only euphemize his ‘caliber’. The RJD boss, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav spared no words in condemning the police action on the MP. “Shahabuddin is an honourable member of Parliament and we are proud of him”, he said adding that hard actions should be taken against the police. The RJD rebel camp, towards which the MP was tilting off late has rolled out red carpet for the MP. The rebel leader and former Finance Minister, Mr. S P Tekriwal demanded that the SP, Mr B.S. Meena, and other cops be charged with attempt to murder. The same NDA leaders who took the government to task in the past for the ‘misdeeds’ of the controversial MP now seem to be singing in favour of the MP as they still believe that after the police attack on him the MP would finally fall in the rebels’ lap. That certainly would spell doom for Laloo Yadav as he may force many MLAs to switch sides. Samata leader in the Assembly, Mr Uma Shankar Singh demanding action against the police charged the government of attempting to eliminate its own MP. BJP leaders are also condemning the police, flaying the government for failing to control law and order. The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and BJP leader, Mr Shushil Kumar Modi, said “It is shocking that law and order has become so poor that the Army has to be called.” The presence of the Army in Siwan has made the police force suspicious of the government strategy in future, specially in the light of their threat to agitate if the SP’s transfer is not withdrawn and judicial robe is not ordered. It is believed that the government would take the extreme and unprecedented step of ‘disarming’ the district police, and the state police if the police force rebel again after March 26. The Army has been therefore made to stand by in Siwan. Both Laloo and his right hand man, the Excise Minister, Mr Shivanand Tiwary have been on record saying that the Army was called as the district police ‘rebelled’. If this happens, the state may see an unprecedented crisis. The Bihar Police Association and the Bihar Police Men’s Association delegation met the DGP, Mr R.R. Prasad, and made it clear that they would resort to agitation if their four-point demands were not accepted. The DGP is learnt to have expressed camaraderie with them and has assured to put up the matter with the CM. |
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Sudarshan firm on temple New Delhi, March 21 “In that event whatever decision is taken by the `dharma sansad’, we will act accordingly,” Mr Sudarshan said in reply to a question during his cross examination before the Liberhan Commission probing the sequence of events leading to the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. The RSS chief was asked about the Sangh Parivar’s future course of action in case the Centre failed to get the matter decided or the court being unable to give a verdict on the issue within a year. “We are confident, however, that the matter would be decided by then”, Mr Sudarshan added. The RSS had passed a resolution endorsing the ‘dharma sansad’s’ decision in its national general council which concluded in the capital on Sunday. The resolution had given the government a year’s time to remove all hurdles in the way of construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya.
UNI |
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Stalemate in DMK over seats Chennai, March 21 Agreements with other allies have already been reached. Asked when the seat sharing talks would be wrapped up, DMK President and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said at the party headquarters here “as soon as it is finalised”. The MGR ADMK has convened a general council of the party for March 24 to take a final stand on the issue. The TRC has convened a meeting of its political affairs committee for March 23. The TRC appears to be out of the DMK-led front, “judging from the current developments”, analysts say. MGR ADMK general secretary S. Thirunavukkarasu, who met Mr Karunanidhi this morning had left without any agreement, saying that he would get back to Mr Karunanidhi on March 24. The two seats offered to his party were not acceptable to him. The TRC is yet to be invited for formal talks. Mr Karunanidhi said since TRC President Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy was away in Delhi, talks could not be held with that party. |
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Cong, TC join hands to fight CPM Kolkata, March 21 Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who had flown to the city last night after obtaining the go ahead signal from Mrs Sonia Gandhi, met Ms Mamata Banerjee and other leaders today to discuss their joint fight against the CPM in the elections. Mr Mukherjee also held talks with his party leaders separately. Mr Mukherjee’s talk with the TC were inconclusive. More talks will be held to resolve the deadlock. The Trinamool Congress had already declared its list of candidates in 223 seats, where electioneering, including posters and campaigning, in favour of their candidates had started. The Congress wants to announce its list of candidates within this week and the leadership wants to field candidates in as many seats as possible. On the other hand, the BJP today broke out of the BJP-TC election “mahajot” and decided to field candidates in all 294 seats. A list of 125 candidates was also declared in the presence of the BJP national committee leader, Mr Kailashpati Mishra, and Mr Tapan Sikdar, Union Minister of State for Communication. Both Mr Mishra and Mr Sikdar vehemently criticised Ms Banerjee for letting down the Prime Minister in the time of crisis for her personal political gain. Earlier the BJP decided to contest in 39 seats as per a poll agreement with the TC and agreed to allow the TC to field candidates in 223 seats and the remaining to their other partners in the election. Accordingly, the TC declared its candidates in 223 seats and 14 seats were allotted to the JMM and the KPP. (JMM-8 and KPP-6). Ms Banerjee was also allowed to retain the remaining seats to accommodate those from the Congress, CPM and others who would join them against CPM. Though after Ms Banerjee’s stepping down from the Vajpayee government and the TC’s withdrawal from the NDA had brightened the hope of a reunion of the Congress and the TC after a decade, the proposal for “one: one fight” against the CPM, to all practical purposes, has now become meaningless.
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Cong chief whip beaten up New Delhi, March 21 It all began when the Congress legislator tried to interrupt the Lt Governor’s speech by raising the issue of demolition of unauthorised structures by the Delhi Development Authority
(DDA). As Mr Singh persisted with his interruptions, Chief Whip Mangat Ram went up to him and asked him not to create disturbances while the Lt Governor was making his speech. But it made little impact on the legislator who also pushed and heckled him. Moments after Mr Kapoor had finished his speech and left the House, Mr Chauhan, apparently nursing an anger against the Chief Whip, went to his seat and dealt a few blows. Mr
Singhal, with tears flowing down his cheeks, then complained to the Speaker about the event.
UNI |
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NORTH INDIA IN PARLIAMENT New Delhi, March 21 Amount sanctioned for implementing the AIDS-II project Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, A Raja told the Lok Sabha today that the Union Government had sanctioned Rs 395.58 lakh to Himachal Pradesh for implementing the AIDS-II project during 1999-2000. He said Rs 318 lakh was released to Himachal Pradesh during the same year based on availability of Budgetary provisions. Apart from this, Rs 227.50 lakh had been sanctioned for 2000-2001 of which Rs 227 lakh had been released to Himachal Pradesh.
Grant of visas Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs, U V Krihsnam Raju said that there had been no discrimination in grant of visas to pilgrims from minority communities from Pakistan on the basis of religion. Citing figures on visas issued to Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan, the minister said that all the 352 applicants were issued visas in 1999. Similarly, all 264 Hindu pilgrims from Pakistan who applied were granted visas the same year. He said that the grant of visas to each other’s nationals by India and Pakistan was generally covered by a visa agreement between the two countries.
Youth being recruited into army from Himachal Pradesh Defence Minister Jaswant Singh denied that the percentage of youth being recruited into the Army from Himachal Pradesh had declined. He agreed that the HP Chief Minister had, in a letter to the then Defence Minister, requested that the recruitment of youth from the State be increased .
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Sexual harassment by cops : HC orders probe New Delhi, March 21 The high court directed Joint Commissioner of Police (North) Ajay Chadha, under whom these officials function, to carry out the investigation within six weeks and take action against them, if necessary. The direction came on a petition filed by the two sisters (aged 18 years and 16 years, respectively) seeking the registration of a case against Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Mukund Upadhye, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Hemant Kumar and a woman constable Anju Bala for sexually harassing them. A Division Bench of Justice Usha Mehra and Justice M.A. Khan asked the Joint Commissioner of Police (North) to hold an independent inquiry into the conduct of the DCP and the other two police personnel. While disposing the petition, the Bench, however, gave the two girls the liberty to approach the court again if not satisfied with the investigation.
UNI |
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32 Navymen get NSMs, VSMs New Delhi, March 21 At the Naval Investiture ceremony held at Nausena Bagh here, Admiral Sushil Kumar gave away NSMs (Gallantry) to nine persons, including two posthumously, NSMs (Devotion to duty) to seven persons and VSMs to 16 most of them for gallantry. The ceremony was held to felicitate navymen who had excelled while participating in Operation Rakshak (in Kashmir). One person each was awarded the Jeevan Raksha Padak, Lt V.K. Jain Memorial Gold Medal and Capt. Ravi Dhir Memorial Gold Medal, at the ceremony which was held for the first time in the Capital. The NSM (Gallantry) awardees are Lt Cdr Subir Guha, Lt Cdr Utpal Datta, Lt Cdr T.R. Thakur, Lt D.S. Sihag (posthumously), Mahattam Ram, G. S. Tanwar, Mahavir Singh (posthumously), A. K Shanti Bhai Patel and K.S. Majgaine. Among the recipients of NSMs (devotion to duty) are capt A.Y. Kalaskar, Capt V.K. Namballa, Capt N.K. Mishra Cdr George Abraham, Cdr P. M. Joshi, Cdr Vinay Badhwar and Narendra Ram.
PTI |
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Irate mob attacks govt
nursery Gharsana (Sriganganagar), March 21 There is consensus among townsmen on shifting of the nursery, which has long been a point of friction between the local authorities and the people. Petitions to the state government have reportedly elicited a stony silence. Hundreds of agitators assembled at the nursery and uprooted saplings. A large number of women assisted men in the job, even as the police remained the mute spectator. By noon, the people had cleared large tracts of vegetation from both sides of the road. Although tension had been simmering for some time, the breaking point came with an assault on Mr Dharamvir Arora last night. The victim, who was going to his village, Chak 3
STR, on his moped was robbed and brutally beaten up by three unidentified motor cycle-borne youths. The victim has since been referred to the Civil Hospital at
Sriganganagar. His condition is stated to be serious. Additional police reinforcements have been rushed to the town from Rawla and
Anupgarh. The DSP, Anupgarh, has been asked to keep a watch on the developments and his seniors informed on an hourly basis. The cops have been instructed not to provoke the mob or use force. “Action is being delayed since use of force is bound to lead to injuries on both sides and will have its repercussions in the Assembly session on March 27. In view of the militant attitude of the mob, a clash is bound to occur. Nothing short of firing will be effective to disperse the mob, and that would lead to injuries and casualties,” a police official said. Police officials have also directed videofilming of the entire event so that the guilty can be identified for prosecution. “We had to send for a videographer from a nearby town as nobody from the town agreed to do so,” the official revealed. Senior Forest Department officials met the SP,
Sriganganagar, and demanded action against the mob for damaging government property. A case has been registered against 500 persons of Chak 3 STR and
Gharsana, officials said. A forest officer revealed that the incident had been “blown out of proportion at the behest of local commission agents with vested interests. The traders have been trying for the past many years to get the mandi extended by getting the nursery, spread over nearly 30
bighas, shifted to another site.” The nursery is adjacent to the mandi on Koopli road. “The issue was also raised when the state Forest Minister visited the town recently. He had expressed his inability to do anything in this context since he was bound by orders from the Supreme Court and directions from the Environment and Forest Ministry,” he added. Protesters, who asked not to be named, alleged that the Forest Department officials, had assured them last night that “Operation Cleanup” would be started in the morning, but had backed out. Denying allegations levelled by the Forest Department, they stressed that the people had been demanding shifting of the nursery only in view of the increasing incidents of crime in its vicinity. According to the protesters, Mr Arora was on his way to his village on his moped when three motor-cycle borne youths stopped him at a dark stretch of the nursery road and asked him to hand over his money. When he refused, he was beaten up and left for dead. Some passersby who came across him informed nearby villagers and townsfolk, who began assembling near the nursery thereafter. The people decided to take matters in their own hands as repeated pleas to the authorities had not yielded any result. The villagers alleged that the nursery was a haven for anti-social elements and all sorts of illegal activity was being carried out from there. Residents pointed out that the police had on many occasions raided the place and arrested gamblers. It was a known fact that some persons were using the place to run a brothel. Besides, criminals often took shelter in the sprawling, unkempt nursery. |
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Transport water by trains, officers told Hanumangarh, March 21 He said departments concerned would have to work together to ensure that public should not face any problem. The commissioner was addressing a meeting of revenue officers yesterday. Mr Meena asked various departments to make arrangements for drinking water in the area. He ordered the officials of the PHED to transport water by trains in the far-situated areas. He ordered to make fodder available for animals. Mr Meena said the revenue-related cases must be settled in a short period. He asked the Revenue Department to make people aware of the citizen’s charter, so that maximum number of them could be benefited. He said transparency should be there in the system to strengthen the faith of public in the administration. The District Collector, Mr J.P. Chandellia, said arrangements were being made for making available drinking water in the area. The meeting was attended by Mr Chandra Shekhar Mutha, ADM (Development), Mr Hanuman Singh Shekhawat, ADM (Administration), Mr Khajan Singh, SDM, and Mr Rajpal Singh Yadav, ACM. |
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Timely detection averts mishap Sriganganagar, March 21 |
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