 |
| Friday,
August 3, 2001, Chandigarh, India   
|
Principal, lecturer shot dead
Haryana CM’s tour of Europe put off Scheme for disclosure of tampered meters Probe sought into meters’
deal |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
New house tax scheme provides relief IN FOCUS
20 houses
demolished Floor area for new units
raised KU invitation on UGC
scholarships Haryana Govt complies with orders on disabled Pre-arrest bail for
Tehsildar R.K. Syal sent to judicial custody till Aug 6 Youth shot dead In-laws booked
for girl’s death
|
|
Principal, lecturer shot dead Rewari, August 2 The youths decamped with the money in a white Maruti car which they abandoned near a petrol station on the Rewari-Narnaul road near Kund, about 24 km from here. It is reported that Mr Mahabir Singh, accompanied by six lecturers of the school, withdrew the amount from a bank at about 11 a.m. today. The cash was to be disbursed among the teachers as salaries. They boarded a bus which reached Kund at about 12 noon. They alighted from the bus and were walking towards the school when the youths stopped them. One lecturer tried to offer resistance when the youths fired a volley of shots from a pistol. Mr Mahabir Singh and Mr Ram Kishan died on the spot. Congress legislators Rao Inderjeet Singh and Capt Ajay Singh Yadav and the Haryana BJP general secretary, Mr
O.P. Dhankar, have condemned the deteriorating law and order situation in this district and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.
|
|
|
Chautala dares
Opposition Ferozepur Jhirka (Gurgaon), August 2 Talking to newspersons here, Mr Chautala, with regard to leaders of opposition parties yesterday submitting a memorandum to the Governor urging the dismissal of his government within 10 days, said he was eagerly awaiting the deadline. He said the INLD had received an overwhelming mandate from the masses to form the government. He said he believed in democracy and political challenge inspired him. “I will call their bluff. Let me see to what extent they can mobilise support against my government”, he said. Describing the opposition leaders who joined hands against his government as “criminals”, he said he did not get criminal cases registered against them. It was their relatives who got the cases registered, he alleged. Appeals by some of the opposition leaders had also been rejected by the apex court, he added. Mr Chautala was here to inaugurate a girls’ college constructed by the Digamber Jain Samaj. Coming down heavily on the Congress, he said he “pitied” it as it was not able to play the role of an Opposition. Thrice it engineered a no-trust motion against the INLD government, but failed. The response to the critical remarks of the Union Agriculture Minister and his bete noire, Mr Ajit Singh, on the dismal state of affairs in Haryana under the INLD government, he said he (Mr Ajit Singh) was alien to the state and efforts by him and his clan to have a toehold in the state had been rejected by people of Haryana. He referred to the 1987 Assembly elections in Haryana in which all candidates sponsored by Mr Ajit Singh lost their deposits. Earlier, presiding over a state-level function in connection with the 52nd Vanamahotasava at Mandi Khera village in the Nuh Assembly segment, he said his government’s thrust was on afforestation. The state had undertaken to get two-and-a-half crore saplings planted by the end of this current year. He said villages with a good record of plantation would be preferred while granting development funds. The Forest Department would provide plants and saplings free of cost. Mr Chautala began his schedule in Mewat by laying the foundation stone of water works under a water supply scheme in
Nuh. The scheme is expected to benefit more than 15,000 persons of the area. He completed the tour by laying the foundation stone of a sewage treatment plant at Dhanwapur village, near here.
No alternative
to Vajpayee: Chautala Sirsa, August 2 The Chief Minister said the NDA was a big
family, therefore, it was very natural for differences to crop up. He
said at yesterday’s meeting of the NDA, all 24 alliance parties
expressed confidence in Mr Vajpayee and persuaded him to not to press
for his resignation. To a question regarding the Agra summit, Mr Chautala said the problem of Jammu and Kashmir had become a political issue like the long-pending issue of the SYL canal between Punjab and Haryana. He said the Punjab leader who initiated its construction was likely to invite trouble politically. Regarding alliance in elections in western Uttar Pradesh, Mr Chautala said though the INLD would decide this issue after the declaration of elections, the INLD would field its candidates. However, the Chief Minister said unlike Ajit Singh who refused to go to a meeting to address a gathering of 500-700 gathering at Amroha, he believed in making contact with the masses irrespective of the number. Without naming any Opposition party, the Chief Minister criticised the repeated no-confidence moves in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha as a big mockery indulged in by the Opposition. He said his rally in Bhiwani had proved his growing public support. Earlier,
the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of Harki Devi Women’s
Hostel of Sirsa Regional Centre of Kurukshetra University to be
constructed at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. On the occasion, he instructed
the officials concerned to provide two lifts in this 122-room hostel
and complete its construction within one year. He also gave
instructions for starting the construction work of buildings of the
regional centre, the foundation stone of which was laid by the Chief
Minister last year.
|
|
|
Haryana CM’s tour of Europe put off
Chandigarh, August 2 A combined delegation of the Haryana Government and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was all set to leave for a business promotion tour of Europe, Canada and USA in April. But it had to be cancelled at the last moment due to the death of Mr Devi Lal. Subsequently, it was decided that a delegation led by Mr Chautala would leave India on August 26 for Europe to promote Haryana as the preferred destination for investment among European investors. The team was to return to India by September 10 to enable Mr Chautala to personally supervise the preparations for late Tau’s birth anniversary falling on September 25. This is going to be first birth anniversary celebration after his death and for the Chief Minister the success of the event is of crucial importance. However, it is learnt that the foreign tour programme has been dropped. According to the new itinerary being drawn up by officials here, a delegation led by the Chief Minister will leave India towards the end of September and return in the second week of October. Officials sources denied that the rescheduling of the trip had anything to do with the White Paper demanded by the Congress on the results of the foreign trips being made by INLD Ministers and state government officials. They, however, added that the trip was being rearranged to make a better impact so that the team could return with “something concrete”. The earlier period (August 26 - September 10) reportedly had a lot of holidays and was therefore not considered good for business purposes. According to the tentative programme, the Chief Minister’s delegation will first visit Brussels and subsequently go to Britain, France and Italy. In Brussels the Haryana team will meet the President of the European Union (EU). A meeting with representatives of the Belgian Chambers of Commerce and Industry is also on the cards. The next stop of the team will be Birmingham and London. They will meet NRIs and foreign investors and also visit the Microsoft unit in London. In France, the Haryana team will stop at Paris, Rennes and Brittany. The team will seek investments in tourism, food processing and health sectors. Next, the team will visit Milan (Italy) and meet automobile and garment manufacturers. Tunisia, an African country, may also figure in the tour map of the Haryana delegation. |
|
|
Scheme for disclosure of tampered meters Hisar, August 2 Under the scheme, the consumers concerned will be charged reduced penalty at one-third the normal rates of penalty imposed on the detection of theft. The penalty will be calculated on the basis of connected load or the sanctioned load, whichever is higher. For calculating the penalty, only 15 per cent of the total load is considered to be running for 24 hours a day. The consumption, already billed, will be deducted from the actual
consumption for the past six months. The remaining units are doubled and the bill is calculated at the applicable rates. Since only one-third of the penalty will be charged, the amount works out to be less than the actual consumption, a spokesman of the nigam claimed. New electronic meters will replace the tampered and faulty meters within seven days. The nigam will supply single-phase meters at the consumer’s cost. However, the consumers will supply three-phase meters. Extra staff has been deputed to deal with the consumers. The relevant forms are available free of cost at the subdivisional offices of the nigam. The spokesman said the officials of the nigam had identified the residential and commercial areas in Gurgaon where line losses were high. An anti-power theft campaign was recently launched in these areas which exposed a large number of irregularities. This led to a demand for a second chance to the erring consumers.
|
|
Probe sought into meters’
deal Kurukshetra, August 2 The manch has asked people to be united and to fight against the forcible imposition of electronic meters, hike in power tariff and privatisation of power. It has also appealed them to participate in a one-day dharna being organised by the Manch in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on August 6. Stating this, in widely circulated handbills here yesterday, the Haryana Jan Sangharsh Manch, convener, Ms Sudesh Kumari, said as per detailed description given by the Haryana Chief Minister, Om Prakash Chautala, 35 lakh electronic meters, each costing about its Rs 1250, would be installed and the total value of these meters was about Rs 437.50 crore. This amount would be received by the Haryana Government from the World Bank as loan and the state government would have to return crores of rupees in the shape of interest every year. Ms Sudesh Kumari said the state government’s stand that the electronic meters would help in checking power theft, was not convincing. She said had the Haryana Government spent Rs 437.50 crore on the electric supply infrastructure, including electric wires, electric pole and electric transformers, line losses would have automatically been checked and 10 persons who were killed when their bus was electrocuted near Diwana village on July 24, would have been saved. The manch convener criticised the live demonstrations (regarding the working of electronic meters) being organised by the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam at various places. Opposing the forcible installation of electronic meters, she questioned that when the
mechanical meters were working in a perfect manner, then what was the justification of replacing them. She said various organisations and political parties in Haryana, were engaged in minor issue of the electronic meters running fast, instead of blaming the Haryana Government for its involvement in the multi-crore electronic meters scam. |
|
New house tax scheme provides relief Hisar, August 2 An official of the department said over 60 per cent of the house tax payers would either get exemption from payment or would have to pay less than they had been paying. He said the result of the survey had revealed that barring a few units almost every house tax payer would pay 35 per cent less tax. This benefit could go up to 50 per cent in many cases. The survey has shown that for an average town only 200 to 300 house owners would pay Rs 1500 as house tax. The rest would pay less than that. More than 60 per cent house owners were expected to pay less than Rs 500 as house tax annually. The official said about 25 per cent of houses would be exempted under the new scheme announced by the government. Ex-servicemen owning only one urban property would be exempt from payment of the tax irrespective of their incomes. The ceiling for exemption for lower income groups had been raised to Rs 600 and Rs 1200, respectively, for properties located within the boundaries of municipal committees and councils. The ceiling for the widows and the disabled had been raised to Rs 2400. In another important change, the department has decided to constitute sub committees of members of the municipalities to identify the house owners who fulfil the criteria for exemption under different schemes. Under the new provision, a house owner would now get all the benefit before the tax is assessed. The findings of the survey have been computerised by a private company. The tax notices would also be distributed through private parties to reduce the cost and delays. The objections from the tax payers would be disposed of within a week by their elected representatives. The department had directed the municipal bodies to maintain complete transparency in the exercise. |
|
|
IN FOCUS Ambala Gaurav Sudan, a product of S.D. College, Ambala Cantonment, stood fifth in the Navy merit, seventh in the Air Force merit and 12th in the Army merit, and opted for the Army, which has seen the services of his father, Lt Col T.C. Sharma, his grandfather, Sub Umed Ram Sudan, and great grandfather, Sub-Maj Devi Dayal Sudan. Gaurav says that he had always aspired to an Army officer and now his dream has been fulfilled. His is proud of his Army heritage. “My great grandfather raised the 16 Artillery Field Regiment. His name finds mention in the records of the Red Fort as well as of the Buckingham Palace.” Gaurav is looking forward to training at the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. “Ours is basically a family of gunners. Except my father who was in the
AOC, my grandfather and my great grandfather were in the Artillery. Some other members of my family have also served the Artillery.” They include his grandfather’s brother, Sub Durga Das, two uncles, Capt Pokhraj and Col
M.R. Sharma, and brother-in-law, Maj Shantanu Kashyap, who is currently on deputation to the Army Aviation Corps. Lt Col (Retd)
T.C. Sharma says that he is proud of his son for having been selected in the Army. “He is keeping our family tradition alive. We all wish the very best to him”. Gaurav’s mother, Mrs Kamal Prabha Sharma, says that Gaurav had been keen to join the armed forces since his childhood. “He got the NCC ‘C’ certificate and was also NCC Adjutant Under Officer. He was also declared the year’s best NCC cadet”. She pointed out that her husband, Lt Col (Retd)
T.C. Sharma, had also been the best all-round cadet and her son-in-law, Maj
Kashyap, had topped the merit list in 1988. Gaurav said that he initially wanted to join the Air Force but finally he opted for the Army, keeping in view the family tradition.
|
|
20 houses
demolished Rohtak, August 2 According to official sources, nearly 80 houses had been constructed in Srinagar colony in the past couple of years. Some of them had converted their ‘kutcha’ houses into ‘pucca’ houses a few months ago. Most of the residents of the colony belong to the Scheduled Caste who had reportedly encroached upon nearly 7400 square yards of PGIMS land. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Anil Malik, said the drive was launched in view of the recent court orders to evacuate the land. |
|
Floor area for new units
raised Chandigarh, August 2 The Minister of State for Urban Development, Mr Subhash Goyal, said the government had accepted the proposal of the Urban Development Department for the increase in floor area ratio (FAR) from the existing 75 per cent to 125 per cent for the construction of industrial units located in Municipal Councils. he said the haryana Municipal building Bylaws, 1982, would be suitably amended for this purpose. The process for amendment was being initiated by issuing a public notification informing all people about this proposal as required under Section 216 of the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973. The government would consider the constructive views of the public in this regard before making final amendments. |
|
KU invitation on UGC
scholarships Chandigarh, August 2 An official spokesman said the prescribed application form could be obtained from the office of the Assistant Registrar free of cost either in person or by post. Applications should reach the Registration and Scholarship Branch of the university on or before August 31. |
|
Haryana Govt complies with orders on disabled Panipat, August 2 Talking to mediapersons here today, the Deputy Commissioner, Mr M.R. Anand, said in future the disabled should not face discrimination on their entry into government stadiums, sports and cultural arenas. The Deputy
Commissioner stressed the operative portion of the order such as no discrimination in public places with the disabled, no restriction on their constitutional rights to mingle with and communicate; to make all stadiums and sports arenas free and accessible for the disabled within a period of one year; and the demarcation of one section in all stadiums for them. The Deputy Commissioner said the departments concerned had been directed to comply with the order and report within one month. |
|
|
Pre-arrest bail for
Tehsildar Faridabad, August 2 The NIT police here, on a complaint by the officials of the Municipal Corporation, Faridabad had booked a case under various Sections of the IPC against about 20 persons involved in the sale and purchase of the ‘deh shamlat’ land of Ankhir village recently. It is alleged that the land which was ‘sold’ had not yet been demarcated. But it was sold illegally in connivance with revenue officials. The ‘demarcation’ work was still pending with authorities concerned. The value of the land in question is stated to be worth several crores. The police had booked a case against about 20 persons, including the Tehsildar of the town, girdawar, the main person who purchased the land and about 17 others. |
|
|
R.K. Syal sent to judicial custody till Aug 6 Ambala, August 2 A production warrant for a co-accused, Rajesh Syal, has been issued for August 6. R.K. Syal was yesterday sent to one-day police custody and another accused, Amrit Lal Syal, had been sent to one-day judicial custody. The Haryana State Vigilance Bureau had registered a case under Sections 406, 420, 468, 471 and 120-B, IPC, against the managing directors of Golden Forest and certain other persons. |
|
|
Youth shot dead Faridabad, August 2 According to police sources, the victim, Pramod, was going on a motor cycle with a friend when he was intercepted by the two assailants, Madan and Harish. Pramod was shot at with a revolver and a countrymade pistol. While he died on the spot his friend escaped unhurt.
|
|
|
In-laws booked for girl’s death Rohtak, August 2 According to the report lodged with the police by Jaldhari, a resident of Sultanpur in Delhi, his daughter Reena (20) was married to Dharmender in March, last year. She was constantly being harassed by her in-laws to bring Rs 50,000. He alleged that his daughter was burnt to death by her in-laws on July 29 and her body was cremated.
UNI |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | In Spotlight | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 121 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
