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April 25, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
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Cong opposes move on privatisation Haryana to have 4 more power
stations Haryana to buy 1,100 new buses by Aug. Will defaulting power consumers take sops? Brick-kiln workers allege violation of labour laws Panel on
reforming exam system |
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Rail traffic suspended for 2 hours 10 lakh ex gratia
for BSF martyrs’ kin Civic staff to
get dues this month CM ‘politicised’ father’s
death A kidnapping that wasn’t Gang of robbers busted, 4 held 22,000 liquor pouches seized Concession for SC students Gambhir assumes charge
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Cong opposes move on privatisation Chandigarh, April 24 As it is Mr Chautala is in a spot as state financing of the power sector is becoming increasingly difficult. During a meeting here on April 3, the Finance Department of the state government made it abundantly clear that state support for the power sector must be phased out gradually and the policy of privatisation might be followed which would increase efficiency and reduce the need for state subsidy. Mr Sampat Singh, Finance Minister of Haryana, who heads the sub-group formed by the state government to discuss the issue of privatisation, also spoke in favour of privatisation during a conversation with TNS. “Even the public would appreciate distribution by private parties if the system works efficiently”, the Finance Minister said, while adding that a final decision in this regard would be taken after further deliberations. While it seems inevitable that an alternative to state support to the power sector must be found soon, the Congress made it clear today that it would oppose the privatisation move tooth and nail. Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, president of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, said Mr Chautala had himself opposed it when the power sector reform bill was presented in the Assembly by the erstwhile Bansi Lal-led regime. “If Mr Chautala favours privatisation now, it will amount to a volte face by the INLD”, Mr Hooda said. He added that the Congress would oppose privatisation since it would lessen government control on tariff, leading to an increasing burden on the farm sector. Similar sentiments were expressed by Mr Jai Parkash, a former Union Minister who is now the Congress party’s Chief Whip in the Assembly. A representative of the Power Utilities, while participating in the April 3 meeting, cited possible opposition by the INLD’s rivals to privatisation as one of the reasons why the distribution sector should be kept under government control. However, officials favouring privatisation pointed out that any worthwhile opposition to the move might come only from the Congress since the Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) or the BJP would not be in a position to challenge the move as these two parties were part of the erstwhile regime which set the process of “reform” in motion. One of the fallouts of privatisation, if the state opts for it, will be that the move will enable the government to get further instalments of loan from the World Bank (BW) which had signed a $ 600 million agreement with the state government for revamping its power sector. While the Power Utilities could mobilise close to Rs 600 crore from Government of India agencies for development works in the power sector, a section of the officials said that the WB loan was more useful since it gave the money in bulk, making it convenient for large-scale works in the sector. The agencies of the Union Government released money on a scheme-to-scheme basis and it was not possible to do long-term planning with the money given by the Power Finance Corporation, Rural Electrical Corporation and the like, they said. Moreover, if any project was evaluated and sanctioned by the WB, it was also easy to get further support for the project from other international agencies. The officials pointed out that in the wake of the WB signing the agreement with the Haryana Government, the DFID of the British Government also came forward to aid the Haryana project.
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Haryana to have 4 more power
stations Sirsa, April 24 Mr Chautala was addressing a public gathering at Kariwala village after laying foundation stone of a 132 kv sub-station there on Monday evening. After commissioning of the sub-station, nearly 8500 power consumers of 16 villages would be
benefited. Presently, these villages are being supplied power from 33kv sub-station situated in Kariwala village itself. Revealing future plans of electricity generation in the state, the Chief Minister said a 500mw coal-based power-generating unit would be set up at Yamunanagar, besides a gas-based power plant of similar capacity. In addition, two more gas-based power plants, each of 500mw capacity, would be set up at Hisar and Faridabad. The state would also get 365mw power from Panipat Oil Refinery and MoU had already been signed for the purpose. Apart from this, the state government was planning to set up two more power generation units of 210mw each at the Panipat Thermal power plant. Mr Chautala said the sixth unit of 210 mw capacity of the plant had already been made operational. These projects were expected to be completed in about two-year time and after that Haryana would not only become a power-sufficient state but also be able to give power to other neighbouring states, the Chief Minister claimed. While referring to power thefts, the Chief Minister said the power consumers, who did not indulge in theft of power and paid their bills in time had to pay more on account of thefts. Mr Chautala said work on 132kv sub-station at Kariwala and 220kv sub-station at Rania would be started soon and both the sub-stations would be completed by April 6 next on the death anniversary of the former Deputy Prime Minister, Choudhary Devi Lal. The Chief Minister also assured the farmers that every grain of their wheat would be purchased at a rate of Rs 610 per quintal, whatever may be the quality. He said the Union Government had stood for the cause of farmers by raising the minimum support price by Rs 90 more than the recommendation of the Price Fixation Commission. |
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Haryana to buy 1,100 new buses by Aug. Chandigarh, April 24 The proposed modern workshop equipped the state of the art machinery would be constructed at a cost of Rs 3 crore on an area of 10,000 sq metres. On this occasion, the Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Kumar Arora, presented a cheque for Rs 17 lakh to the Chief Minister for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. The money has been collected by the employees of the Haryana Transport Department for the victims of Gujarat earthquake. The Transport Minister revealed that in order to strengthen the transport services in the state, 1,100 new buses would be purchased by August next and 650 of which has already been put on road. In the second phase, another 500 new buses would be bought. The body design of new buses had also been totally changed for greater safety and comfort of the passenger. The minister said the Haryana Roadways had been able to reduce its losses during the last financial year from Rs 100 crore of Rs 72 crore as compared to the preceding year, showing a decline of 28 per cent. The contribution by the Haryana Roadways to the state exchequer in the form of passenger tax, token tax, interest on capital, depreciation and net profit had also increased by 58 per cent from Rs 58 to Rs 92 crore. Mr Arora said the department had also drawn up a comprehensive plan for the introduction of information technology in the depots of Haryana Roadways, District Transport Offices and head office at Chandigarh. |
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Brick-kiln workers allege violation of labour laws Sonepat, April 24 Carrying placards and raising anti-government slogans, they marched through the main bazars of the city and reached the office of the District Labour Officer where they also held a rally. Leaders of workers criticised the owners of the brick-kilns for their failure to pay wages on time and provide other facilities to them. They charged the owners of brick-kilns with exploiting the workers on some pretext or the other. This, they said, had caused resentment among them. They also alleged that the owners of the brick-kilns were not maintaining the attendance registers and were denying them the payment of bonus, provident fund and other allowances. They said brick-kiln workers from UP, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan had been working at these brick-kilns for the past one decade or so, but they had not been issued their ration cards so far. Their children had no education facilities and the workers did not even get the supply of drinking water at the brick-kilns. Meanwhile, the District Labour Officer, Mr D.N. Kaushik, convened a meeting between the representatives of the brick-kilns and the mazdoor unions to resolve their long-standing dispute, but they failed to reach any agreement. The next meeting will be held on May 8. |
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Panel on reforming exam system Rohtak, April 24 Dr C.M. Sharma, Dean, Academic Affairs and Head, English Department, has been appointed convener of the committee which is likely to submit its report in a couple of months. The Vice-Chancellor told The Tribune that the university would not hesitate in adopting tough measures to fight the menace of mass copying and outside interference in the examinations. He hinted that the university was considering proposals to debar and disqualify of students from taking examination if found indulging in unfair means. The university would take a policy-decision in the light of the recommendations of the reforms committee, he said. He said he was also considering proposals to recommend to the government to place the services of college teachers under administrative control of the university during the examinations. General Suhag said the Academic Planning Board of the university was being activated after nearly 10 years. The university had not yet adopted the changes effected by the UGC in the constitution of the Planning Board. He said the university was contemplating disciplinary action against the erring staff members of GGDSD College, Palwal, during the conduct of the examinations. The university had disbanded all three examination centres of the college. The Vice-Chancellor today ordered cancellation of the Political Science paper of B.A. (Part-II) held on April 17 (evening shift) at Centre No 215 at GGDSD College, Palwal. He had earlier cancelled the entire examinations held from April 2 to 7 at this centre of GGDSD College, Palwal, on charges of mass copying. General Suhag said the Executive Council of the university would review the M.D. University Act, statutes and ordinances at its meeting scheduled for April 30. It would recommend changes keeping in view the working conditions of the university. The council, he said, would also review the functioning of the university which had over the years grown in size, scope and functioning. The university was considering proposals to allow affiliated colleges with necessary infrastructure to run study centres of various IT/computer courses being run through the Directorate of Distance Education. The university had last year signed a memorandum of understanding with a Delhi-based institute for running computer courses. Students, he said, would have the option to chose the institute of their liking for studying these courses. The university, he said, was also considering a 50 per cent concession in the price of the university prospectus as well as the entrance test fee for candidates of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on the pattern of Kurukshetra University. |
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Rail traffic suspended for 2 hours Rohtak, April 24 The traffic remained suspended from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. This affected the schedule of Abha Express and a goods train. Sources said excessive water was released in the minor last evening which was to be actually released on April 26. Railway employees informed the authorities when they noticed that the water was flowing above the danger level below bridge No. 122 which was under construction. Consequently, the two trains were halted for two hours. No Irrigation Department could be contacted for comment. |
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10 lakh ex gratia
for BSF martyrs’ kin Chandigarh, April 24 Mr Chautala condemned the barbaric killing of the BSF soldiers the Bangladesh Rifles and termed it as an inhuman and heinous act. Hailing the brave soldiers guarding the frontiers of the nation, he said the state government had always honoured them and provided every possible help to their families. While sending his heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved families, Mr Chautala sought strict action against those who killed the BSF jawans. |
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Civic staff to
get dues this month Chandigarh, April 24 He also told the DCs that special stress should be laid on construction of roads which should be completed before the onset of the monsoon. The Chief Minister, who was presiding over a meeting of the DCs here today, also asked them to make sure that the wheat procurement operation was carried out smoothly and the produce purchased at the minimum support price (MSP). The agencies should also purchase wheat arriving from adjoining states, he said. The Chief Minister asked them to depute an officer to each mandi everyday and check any
irregularity in the purchase of wheat as some politicians had started alleging that the government agencies were not giving the MSP to the farmers. He said theft of market fee in grain and vegetable markets should also be curbed . The Chief Minister also asked the DCs to supply round-the-clock power to farmers in view of the inclement weather. Alarmed by the reports of fire to standing crops, he said the DCs should launch an information campaign among the farmers so that they did not burn the wheat straw after
thrashing operations. The Chief Minister also asked the DCs to supervise the execution of flood protection works and make no payment unless the DCs or their nominees had themselves physically verified the execution of the works. Mr Chautala asked the officers to collect fodder for sending it to the drought affected states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. He said drought-like conditions were prevailing in areas like Siwani and Morni where special steps should be taken for providing drinking water and fodder to the cattle. He directed the Irrigation Department to run the canals for a week so that the ponds and waterworks could be filled at the tail-ends . He asked the DCs to get the report of gauge readers cross-verified by sarpanches and lambardars. He said action should be taken against political parties and individuals for defacing government and private buildings by pasting posters or writing slogans on walls. CM ‘politicised’ father’s
death Chandigarh, April 24 Talking to newsmen here, Mr Hooda said he and the Congress acknowledged the role of Devi Lal in the freedom struggle and in the uplift of the peasantry by postponing its Panipat rally, which was scheduled to be held on April 8, a day after the cremation of the veteran leader. While he and his colleagues in the Congress wanted a respectful place for Devi Lal in history without any political considerations, Mr Chautala “politicised” his death. Though he and several other prominent leaders of the Haryana Congress participated in the “Rasam Pagri” of Mr Devi Lal, Mr Chautala did not call anyone of them to pay their tributes to Devi Lal because the INLD President wanted to make political capital out of Devi Lal’s death. Answering a question, he said so far he had not received any official intimation about his inclusion in the 27-member committee constituted by the Haryana Government to decide the issue of a suitable memorial to Devi Lal. He said since Devi Lal worked for the peasantry throughout his life, the best memorial to him would be some welfare measure for the farmers. |
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A kidnapping that wasn’t Ambala, April 24 Last evening, the police received a call that two persons had been kidnapped from Sena Nagar by a group of youths who had arrived in two cars. The police immediately swung into action and launched efforts to trace them. Later, it was found that the group of financiers who had picked up the two persons had brought them to the Ambala Sadar police station so that they could work things out in the presence of the police. In the meantime, the other car loan financiers informed senior police officers that the two persons had been kidnapped. Two days ago trouble had begun between the two groups over some matter. An altercation had taken place in which youths belonging to one group had snatched some money and a mobile phone. Next day the matter of snatching of mobile phone was reported to the police. Today, the youths of car loan finance company decided to bring the employees of the Sena Nagar-based finance company to the police so that the issue could be resolved. Loaded into two swank cars, the youths had reached the Sena Nagar-based company in the evening. An altercation reportedly took place between them there, and the youths who had come in the cars began to beat the two persons present. Then they bundled them into the cars and drove off to the Ambala Sadar police station. Local residents thought that a “kidnapping” had taken place in the manner in which the two persons were whisked away. A resident of Sena Nagar told Chandigarh Tribune “I saw two persons of finance company being taken away by some youths. They had beaten up the two persons. Apparently it looked like kidnapping to me,” he said. “I have been told that there was some enmity between two groups of financiers and this whole episode is a result of that enmity,” he said. The interesting aspect is that the time when the police officials were informed about the kidnapping of the two persons, the group of youths had already reached the Ambala Sadar police station so that a “compromise” could be worked out. A police official said that it was definitely not a case of kidnapping. “Some people may have got the impression that it is kidnapping but it was not so. The persons who were picked up were brought to the Ambala Sadar police station,” he said. |
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Will defaulting power consumers take sops? Gurgaon, April 24 The measures are expected to strike a chord with the consumers and have the potential of fetching several crores of rupees to the state exchequer. According to the Director, Operations, DHVVNL, Mr R.S. Pavla, a scheme has been devised whereby the consumers in all sectors who have been booked for unauthorised usage of load (more than the sanctioned load) can reach a settlement with the department. The Scheme is billed to be loaded in favour of the accused. Also, another scheme has been devised relating to theft cases and which solely concerns consumers in the domestic and non-domestic (commercial) sectors. In the theft cases also. Those booked have been invited to settle the issue on terms considered to be favourable to the accused. The deadline for settling the disputes in both the categories of offences is May 31. Both the schemes will be applicable to only those cases which have been registered or are pending in courts till March 31, this year. The details of the concessionary measures relating to the unauthorised use of load are that the accused will have to pay only 50 per cent of the residual sum of the total penalty imposed and deposited by him. Also, a simple interest at the rate of 15 per cent per annum will be levied on the amount. Since the registration of the concerned case. The standing rule is that when an errant consumer is booked for violating the rules the accused has to compulsorily deposit part of the total penalty money imposed on him. Hence, the concession relates only to the residue sum of the total penalty money imposed. With the theft related cases, the scheme enjoins payment of two-third on the residue of the penalty money. The accused has to deposit a portion of the total penalty money slapped by the authorities. Like the concessionary measures relating to the unauthorised use of load. The accused in the theft cases will also have to pay the same interest rate. |
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Gang of robbers busted, 4 held Jind, April 24 Mr O.P. Singh, Superintendent of Police, told mediapersons here today that the arrested members of the gang had been identified as Jai Bhagwan of Sunderpur village, Sumer, Ramphal and Sansar of Kharakramji village. A pistol, a sword and a sharp-edged weapon had also been seized
from them, the SP said. On a tip-off, a police party raided a deserted brick kiln near Karkhana village where the robbers were hiding. Four members of the gang were arrested while fifth member managed to escape. He said during interrogation the arrested persons confessed they were planning to loot occupants of vehicles. A case under Sections 399 and 402 of the IPC and under the Arms Act has been registered. |
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22,000 liquor pouches seized Ambala, April 24 The pouches were being smuggled and the truck driver and helper managed to escape in the cover of darkness. The police tried to flag down a truck, which sped away on spotting the police. The police managed to intercept the truck near Nanhera. Two persons in the truck managed to escape. On inspection of the truck, 110 sacks were found in which 22,000 liquor pouches were packed. A few days back, alcohol worth lakhs of rupees was recoverd from a vehicle which had overturned. A person was arrested in that case.In a separate case, 122 liquor pouches were recovered from three persons. While 34 pouches were recovered from the Tangri area, 60 pouches were recovered in the Baldev Nagar area.
TNS |
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Concession for SC students Chandigarh, April 24 While stating this here today, the Finance Minister, Mr Sampat Singh said he step was taken with a view to assisting a large number of students from these sections. |
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Gambhir assumes charge Bhiwani, April 24 Speaking on his priorities, he said he would work for raising the standard of education in the state and contribute towards the success of the new education policy introduced by Mr Om Prakash Chautala, Chief Minister. Dr Gambhir emphasised the board would not merely be an examining body. He also emphasised on the need to streamline the working of the board to make it more “answerable, transparent and efficient.” Earlier, Dr Gambhir was given a rousing welcome by officers and employees of the board. |
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Cop causes public inconvenience? Rohtak, April 24 |
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