H A R Y A N A

Enhanced power supply and HVPN worries
Chandigarh, August 18
While the enhanced supply of power in Haryana may be rejoiced by the consumers, the financial managers of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam, the holder of distribution and retail supply licence of power in the state, are worried about its adverse fallout for the health of the corporation.

Governor’s order ignored in scam
Kaithal, August 18
In the recently exposed District Red Cross Society scam here some new facts have come to light with two senior IAS officers ignoring the directive issued by the Haryana Governor and trying to save the Secretary, Red Cross, here.

Open school students being fleeced
Jhajjar, August 18
The National Open School programme providing courses at the secondary and senior level through its distance mode has become a money making business for the accredited institutes, most of them public schools here, as these have been fleecing students by promising them to get sure success in examinations.

MLA expresses ignorance about martyr Dhingra
Kurukshetra, August 18
A state-level Shaheedi Divas samaroh of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra was organised by the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Samarak Samitti at Sector 17 here yesterday, presided over by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

Union’s charge against govt
Faridabad, August 18
The All-Haryana Power Corporation Union, affiliated to the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, Haryana, has alleged that the authorities of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam have been trying to stop annual increments of the employees who have been taking part in various strikes.

IN FOCUS
Reminders of an ugly past
Kalka
They are called ‘‘dhols’’ because of their round shape. These tin-sheet structures were raised way back in 1904 when the narrow gauge Kalka-Shimla (then Simla) railway track was being laid. The labour force brought for the project was housed in 40 such ‘dhols’. Later, when work on the track was completed, these were allotted to railway employees.

Panel on national green corps set up
Chandigarh, August 18
The Haryana Government has constituted a state steering committee under the chairmanship of the Commissioner and Secretary, Environment Department, to monitor the raising of national green corps in schools through eco-clubs all over the state for spreading environmental awareness , an official note said.

3 killed in mishap on GT Road
Shahabad, August 18
Three persons were killed and eight others injured in an accident on the GT Road here on Friday morning. A Haryana Armed Police truck which was carrying police recruits from Ambala to Madhuban, reportedly collided with a bread company’s truck.

2 dead, 2 hurt in separate incidents
Bhiwani, August 18
The police has found an unidentified body of a man in a pond near the Bhiwani-Dhana Ladanpur railway line. The body was handed over to the Municipal Council for its cremation. A case has been registered.

Scribe arrested for fraud
Faridabad, August 18
Satish Kumar, Editor of a local Hindi daily Mazdoor Morcha, was arrested today in connection with a ‘fraud’ case registered against him and a few others.

Attempt to loot HVPN office foiled, 1 killed
Faridabad, August 18
An employee of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam was killed and two others were injured when three armed youths tried to loot the cash from the subdivision office of the HVPN at Palla village here yesterday. However, two of the three culprits were overpowered by staff and handed over to the police.

Rs 60,000  looted from shopkeeper
Ambala, August 18
A gang of robbers looted Rs 60,000 from a shopkeeper running a chemist shop at the Hisar road in Ambala City late last night. It was the second incident of looting in the city during the last one month. Two weeks back, two scooter-borne youths had looted a shopkeeper in the new Anaj Mandi at gunpoint. Later, the police succeeded in nabbing the youths.

• 4 asphyxiated to death

• Link road demanded
  
  
  
  

Enhanced power supply and HVPN worries
Shubhadeep Choudhury
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 18
While the enhanced supply of power in Haryana may be rejoiced by the consumers, the financial managers of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN), the holder of distribution and retail supply licence of power in the state, are worried about its adverse fallout for the health of the corporation.

Though the claim made by the state government about 24 hour supply of power to rural areas is stated to be incorrect, there had been reportedly a substantial increase in power supply to the consumers in the state since the month of May. The supply has reached a peak during August. According to HVPN estimates, more than 50 per cent of power available is consumed by the agricultural sector, which pays tariff at a flat rate irrespective of the amount of power consumed by them. Consequently, enhanced power supply to the agricultural sector is increasing the financial burden of the already cash strapped HVPN.

It is learnt that while 469 lakh units of electricity was supplied to the consumers in Haryana in July 1999, the supply shot up to 483 lakh units in July 2000 and it was 538 lakh units in July, 2001. The supply of electricity was 488 lakh units in August 1999 and it became 524 lakh units in August 2000. The projected consumption for August 2001 has been put at 620 lakh units which will be about 100 lakh units more than what was supplied in the same month last year.

Figures, depicting supply of power to the highly subsidised agricultural sector, are stated to be like this. In July 1999, electricity amounting to 219 lakh units was supplied to the agricultural tubewells. It went up to 260 lakh units in July 2000 and became 283 lakh units in July this year. Similarly, in August 1999, the supply of power to the agricultural sector was 275 lakh units. Next year, 291 lakh units of power was supplied to the agricultural sector in the month of August. For August, 2002, the projected supply of power to the agricultural sector has been put at 310 lakh units.

The enhanced supply, according to sources, will increase the financial liabality of the HVPN which is already neck deep in debt incurred by it due to the purchase of power from outside. Recently, pending payment worth Rs 1174 crore was converted into bonds by the corporation to settle its debts to the central power producing agencies on account of the purchase of power by the HVPN from them.

The Enhanced supply of power is necessitating increase in power purchase by the HVPN, the sources said, adding that on an average Rs 8 crore worth of power is purchased by the HVPN everyday for supplying to consumers in the state. Out of this, Rs 5 crore worth of power is purchased from outside agencies, including the NTPC which is a major supplier of power to Haryana.The payments for the purchases are to be made on monthly basis, though the HVPN reportedly manages to make only about 75 per cent of the payment in time.

The HVPN is also supposed to pay to the generation corporation(HPGC) for the power produced inside Haryana, though government control over the HPGC enables the HVPN to defer these payments.

Governor’s order ignored in scam
Our Correspondent

Kaithal, August 18
In the recently exposed District Red Cross Society scam here some new facts have come to light with two senior IAS officers ignoring the directive issued by the Haryana Governor and trying to save the Secretary, Red Cross, here.

According to information, the Haryana Governor had ordered an inquiry into the alleged corruption charges against the Secretary of Red Cross Society. This inquiry was conducted by a senior IAS officer, Mr Avtar Singh, after getting the report in which the said secretary had been indicted. The Secretary to the Governor wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner here on March 6, 1998, and referring to the directives issued by the Governor the official wrote that action should be taken against the secretary, Red Cross, for embezzeling Rs 26,000 collected as lamination charges and using 37,000 bricks belonging to the society in the construction of the house belonging to the secretary’s mother. The allegations were proved in the inquiry. It was also mentioned in the letter that the Governor should be informed of the action taken against the erring official, who was already under suspension.

Interestingly, the then Deputy Commissioner ignoring that letter and notwithstanding the facts on which these directives were issued, referred the matter to the then SDM, Guhla, asking him to again give his report in this matter. The matter was taken up by the SDM, Guhla, who quoting the report of the senior IAS officer given to the Governor give his observations that the matter needed no further inquiry and suitable action should be taken against the secretary. This letter was received by the Deputy Commissioner, Kaithal, on May 19, 2000, and the new Deputy Commissioner gave noting on the file regarding holding some discussion. Since then the file has been gathering dust.

According to reports, using her clout with the senior bureaucrats, the secretary even managed to get arrears of her salaries for the period during which she remained suspended and that to without being cleared of the charges by any investigating agency or inquiry officer. It is not clear whether the two successive Deputy Commissioners showed favours to the secretary under political pressure or some other reasons.

Open school students being fleeced
Our Correspondent

Jhajjar, August 18
The National Open School programme providing courses at the secondary and senior level through its distance mode has become a money making business for the accredited institutes, most of them public schools here, as these have been fleecing students by promising them to get sure success in examinations.

A visit to these centres reveals that a number of students are invariably thronging there to get themselves enrolled for the courses as last date is August 25. There are 12 public schools in the district. These have been accredited to enrol the students for the prescribed courses. Each of the accredited institutes has been allotted a total of 500 seats for all courses. These institutes are also study centres where personal contact programme is organised and study material distributed among students.

But the things are adverse for educationally or economically weak students who come in strength at these centres. While actual fee for both matric and plus two courses is Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,125, respectively, which includes PCP and study material charges and registration fee, all these centres have been charging Rs 2,300 to 4,000 from each candidate. These centres also seek the services of its agents who bring them candidates on commission basis, ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2000.

These centres assure the candidates that arrangements well be made at the time of examination, so that they could get sure success. First of all these centres tries to get desired centre for examination. During examinations, rates are fixed for availing various modes of copying. Many agents and candidates intimated this correspondent about these rates. For availing photostat copies of the answers Rs 500 per paper is charged, while Rs 200 for giving immunity to a relative of the candidate to help him in copying. For providing extra time with a loose sheet and material containing answers a sum of Rs 1,000 is charged.

The sources confirmed that even a proxy candidate could sit in the examination.

MLA expresses ignorance about martyr Dhingra
Our Correspondent

Kurukshetra, August 18
A state-level Shaheedi Divas samaroh of Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra was organised by the Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra Samarak Samitti at Sector 17 here yesterday, presided over by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala.

On the occasion, however, Mr Dev Raj Diwan, MLA from Sonepat, said “I do not know about Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra. And till this time I did not know that he was from our region and had laid down his life to get our motherland freed from the British Government”.

Mr Diwan further said “I am thankful to Mr Chautala for having organised this function and all of us in general, and myself in particular, have come to know much about Shaheed Madan Lal Dhingra”.

Madan Lal Dhingra shot dead Lord Curzon Vaayali during Indian National Association’s function in London on July 1, 1909. He was hanged to death on August 17, 1909.

Before his death, the message he conveyed to our countrymen through his close friend, Gian Chand, reads as follows:

“I am the luckiest son of my mother, Bharat Mata, and I am proud of her. If I have to die for getting my motherland freed from the slavery of the British Empire, I shall kiss the gallows hundred times.”

Union’s charge against govt
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 18
The All-Haryana Power Corporation Union, affiliated to the Sarv Karamchari Sangh, Haryana, has alleged that the authorities of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) have been trying to stop annual increments of the employees who have been taking part in various strikes.

He said certain overenthusiastic officials had been busy preparing such schemes to keep the staff and the government at loggerheads. He claimed that Haryana was the only state where cases of employees’ harassment and victimisation had been on the rise after four nationwide strikes by the government staff between May 11, 2000, and July 25 this year.

IN FOCUS
Reminders of an ugly past
Harjit Singh Jaggi

Kalka
They are called ‘‘dhols’’ because of their round shape. These tin-sheet structures were raised way back in 1904 when the narrow gauge Kalka-Shimla (then Simla) railway track was being laid. The labour force brought for the project was housed in 40 such ‘dhols’. Later, when work on the track was completed, these were allotted to railway employees.

These ‘dhols’ had no electricity, drinking water, kitchen, toilet or even ventilators. Those who were forced to live in them used candles or lanterns at night. The heat in summer was unbearable, and so was the cold in winter.

When in 1956 the then Chairman of the Railway Board made a brief halt in Kalka on his way to Shimla the residents represented to him that regular quarters should be constructed for them in place of these “dhols”. But their fate remained unchanged till about two decades ago when the railway authorities decided to replace the “dhols” with regular quarters.

But four of these fell within the boundary of the Government School, and these still stand as reminders of the old days. These are now being used by the school. Classes are held in three of these and one is used as a godown. The iron sheets that make these structures have outlived their lives and water leaks during the rainy season. Besides occupying valuable school land, the “dhols” also spoil the look of the school.

If the Railway authorities and the Education Department of Haryana, take a serious view of the situation, these ugly structures can be demolished and a modern building constructed for the school.

The school, which is housed in a building originally meant to be a rest house for railway officers, is in a pitiable condition and needs a new building urgently.

Panel on national green corps set up
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 18
The Haryana Government has constituted a state steering committee under the chairmanship of the Commissioner and Secretary, Environment Department, to monitor the raising of national green corps in schools through eco-clubs all over the state for spreading environmental awareness , an official note said. The other members of the committee are the Director, Secondary Education, Assistant Commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Chandigarh region, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board, Director-General, Health Services, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Director, HUDA, President, Environment Society of India, Chandigarh branch, and Director, Public Relations, Haryana the note said. The Director, Environment, will act as its member secretary.

3 killed in mishap on GT Road
Our Correspondent

Shahabad, August 18
Three persons were killed and eight others injured in an accident on the GT Road here on Friday morning. A Haryana Armed Police truck which was carrying police recruits from Ambala to Madhuban, reportedly collided with a bread company’s truck.

The deceased are police driver Manoj Kumar, company truck driver, Hira Lal and a police constable. Police officials shifted the injured cops to an Ambala hospital. Vinod Kumar who had received serious injuries, was sent to the PGI, Chandigarh. Traffic on the GT Road remained blocked for over an hour due to the accident.

2 dead, 2 hurt in separate incidents
Our Correspondent

Bhiwani, August 18
The police has found an unidentified body of a man in a pond near the Bhiwani-Dhana Ladanpur railway line. The body was handed over to the Municipal Council for its cremation. A case has been registered.

In another incident, one person was shot at by some unidentified assailants near Government Girls School at Bond Kalan last evening. The bullet, however, injured the arm of Kalu Ram (27) who was rushed to PGIMS, Rohtak. The assailants escaped. The police recovered a countrymade pistol from the spot. A case has been registered.

A woman received injuries in a scuffle between two groups over a trivial matter. Injured Rajpati (40) has been admitted to the Civil Hospital.

A labourer, Ramesh , was crushed to death by a boulder while he was working at a stone crusher near Khanak village.

The dead body of Satyavir (40) was found near the Ghikara road. The police said the cause of death had been stated as the consumption of poison in the post-mortem examination report.

In another incident, a 19-year-old student, Santosh, of Sasrauli village under Charkhi Dadri subdivision committed suicide by consuming pesticide in her home. She was brought to the Civil Hospital at Charkhi Dadri where doctors declared her brought dead.

Scribe arrested for fraud
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 18
Satish Kumar, Editor of a local Hindi daily Mazdoor Morcha, was arrested today in connection with a ‘fraud’ case registered against him and a few others.

According to family members of the Editor, at least four to five persons came in an un-numbered vehicle to his house at 7.30 a.m. today and asked him to accompany them. On being asked to reveal their identity they forcibly lifted Satish Kumar and put him in the vehicle.

Staff of Editor’s office said Satish Kumar was taken to the CIA office near Badarpur border for interrogation.

Mr Ranbir Sharma, SSP, said Satish Kumar was arrested for fraudulently getting advertisements from the local office of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).

A complaint was lodged by the Estate Officer of HUDA yesterday and a case under Sections 384, 420, 190 and 91 of the IPC had been registered against Satish Kumar and some others.

Attempt to loot HVPN office foiled, 1 killed
Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 18
An employee of the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) was killed and two others were injured when three armed youths tried to loot the cash from the subdivision office of the HVPN at Palla village here yesterday. However, two of the three culprits were overpowered by staff and handed over to the police.

According to police and HVPN officials, one of the three youths armed with a knife entered the office of the SDO at Palla village at about 3 p.m. and asked the cashier to handover the cash. When the employees resisted two of his accomplices rushed inside and fired at the employees.

A bullet hit the head of the watchman Azad Singh, who succumbed to his injuries later. Another employee, Balkishan, was seriously injured. The employees overpowered two accused identified as Sunil and Pappan. Their third accomplice identified as Avdesh, alias Pappu, fled away. They are residents of Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh. The SDO of the DHBVN was present at the time of the incident.

Rs 60,000 looted from shopkeeper
Our Correspondent

Ambala, August 18
A gang of robbers looted Rs 60,000 from a shopkeeper running a chemist shop at the Hisar road in Ambala City late last night. It was the second incident of looting in the city during the last one month. Two weeks back, two scooter-borne youths had looted a shopkeeper in the new Anaj Mandi at gunpoint. Later, the police succeeded in nabbing the youths.

According to information, the shopkeeper, Mr Sanjeev Sood, after closing his shop was going to his residence on a bicycle. He had a bag of cash with him. Four youths stopped him near the Public Relation office and asked him to hand over the bag as one of the youths threatened him with a knife.

As the robbers tried to flee, some people of the locality managed to nab one of them.

Senior police officers, including Superintendent of Police, visited the spot. A case has been registered against the youths. According to the information, one of the youths has been identified by the police.

4 asphyxiated to death
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, August 18
Four youths died on being asphyxiated by carbon monoxide when they entered a tubewell for installing an electricity motor at Shershah village,about25 km from here yesterday. Jatinder(20 ) and Harbir (22) reportedly died on the spot while Narinder and Ajay died in a private hospital where they were admitted in an unconscious condition. A pall of gloom has descended the village.

Link road demanded
Our Correspondent

Ambala, August 18
The Harmilap Nagar Welfare Association has demanded a link road to their colony located near the DRM Complex. According to a press note there was no accessible link road to the colony located behind the DRM Complex within the domain of the gram panchayat of Macchonda village. The colonies had come into existence a decade ago.