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Thursday,
August 30, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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73-member HPCC announced Illegal
colonies mushroom in Rohtak Chautala may attend non-BJP
chief ministers’ meet Haryana for assured purchase of oilseeds Historical tank lying dry Cong misleading on cops’ issue: Ajay |
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Electoral lists to be ready by January 1 Policy soon on rehabilitation land Cops
‘beat up’ Beopar Mandal chief Arrest warrant issued against Sonia’s husband Breach in embankment Students go on strike Cops booked for
illegal confinement Panel inspects rly station Haryana to reconsider move on sales tax MC engineers
transferred 2 youths held for cheating
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73-member HPCC announced Chandigarh, August 29 An HPCC statement said that in addition there would be special invitees which would include all former Congress Chief Ministers of Haryana, all party MPs from Haryana, all former party MPs from Haryana, former Congress Union Ministers from Haryana and all chiefs of front organisations of the PCC. While all major factions of the Congress tried to get their representatives into the PCC, resulting in its big size, sources close to Mr Hooda claimed that about 80 per cent of the PCC members were loyalists of the PCC chief. The names of the vice-presidents announced today are Rao Dharampal, MLA, Mr Lachman Dass Arora, MLA, Mr Ratti Ram, Mr Khurshid Ahmed, former Minister, Mr R.D. Goel, Mr Shakuntala Bhagwaria, former Minister, Mr J.P. Sharma, MLA, and Mr Kirpa Ram Punia, former Minister. While Mr Dalbir Singh Jaglan has been named the treasurer of the PCC, the general secretaries include Mr Ram Prakash, former Minister, Mrs Kartar Devi, former Minister, Mr Zakir Hussain, MLA, Mr J.P. Nagar, Mr Chakarbarty Sharma, Mr Gian Sahota, Mr Vijay Kaushik, Mr Vasu Dev Saluja, Mrs Kiran Bala Jain and Mr Anand Kaushik. Besides, there are the names of 18 secretaries and 35 members of the Executive Committee in the list. The 18-member State Election Committee of the PCC was also announced. The members are Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, MLA and PCC chief, Mr Bhajan Lal, CLP Leader and former Chief Minister, Mr Birender Singh, former Chief Minister, Mr S.S. Surjewala, former PCC chief, Sardar Harpal Singh, former PCC chief, Mr Chiranji Lal Sharma, former MP, Rao Inderjit Singh, MLA, Mr Jagdish Nehra, former minister, Mr O.P. Jindal, MLA, Mr Khurshid Ahmed, former Minister, Ms Selja, former Union Minister, Mrs Prasanni Devi, former Minister, Mr Hari Singh Nalwa, former MP, Mr Phool Chand Mullana, former Minister, Mr Ranjit Singh, former MP, Mr Mange Ram Gupta, MLA, Mr Jai Singh Rana, former MLA, and Capt Ajay Singh
Yadav, MLA. |
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Illegal
colonies mushroom in Rohtak Rohtak, August 29 Although the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act was enacted by the government in 1975 for planned development in urban areas, the Act was seldom implemented seriously by the Country and Town Planning Department. Due
to laxity of government officials, hundreds of un-authorised colonies
came up in the state. If Deputy Commissioner, Rohtak, Anil Malik is to
be believed, there are 68 such colonies in this town alone and 24 more
have come up in the recent months in violations of the 1975 Act and
the Punjab Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas (Restrictions of
Unregulated Development) Act, 1963. Mr Malik has cautioned the
citizens that the administration would deal strictly with the violators
of these Acts. He has advised the residents of these colonies to
dismantle unauthorised structures without waiting for the
administration to demolish them. Agitated residents of the Vishal
Nagar Colony, that called on Deputy Commissioner, Anil Malik and said
that they had been punished and penalised because of the
non-functioning of the HUDA authorities and officials of the Town and
Country Planning Department. Residents of these un-authorised colonies belong to the lower middle class and weaker sections of the society and unable to afford HUDA rates. They have spent savings of their lives in constructing these hutments. These residents did not visualise that their houses would be demolished one day as the government has provided them electricity connections and ration cards besides enrolling them as voters. They
asked the Deputy Commissioner that if their colony was coming up in
violation of the Act, why did the tehsildar issue registration deeds
before the execution of the sale deed. Where were HUDA authorities and
the officials of the Town and Country Planning Department, the
residents asked. And the Deputy Commissioner has no answer to their queries
and the aggrieved persons, who have been rendered homeless because of
the demolition drive returned to the place which couple of days ago
was their dream house. The Haryana government had vide Act No. 11 of
1989 had inserted Section 7-A in the Urban Areas Act, 1975 regarding a
provision of ‘no objection certificate’ (NOC) issued by the
Director or other authorised officer in favour of the Registration
Authority concerned (Tehsildar etc) in the duly notified area before
execution of any sale-purchase deed in these urban areas. Surprisingly, this section is still is to be operationalised since the urban areas under this Section are yet to be specifically notified. The Deputy Commissioner, when contacted agreed that the notification of urban area of Rohtak city has not been done. This
Section 7-A has been Though Section 12 (ii) Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act provide suo-motu powers to the Director, Town and Country Planning Department or the authorised officer to take notice of the violations of the Act. It was never implemented. In Rohtak, HUDA authorities have never used the powers under Section 12 (ii) of the 1975 Act, till date and has tried to pass the buck on to the police by lodging FIRs. Similarly,
the police department, too has suo-motu powers under Section 12-A and
12-B which envisage that every police officer above the rank of
sub-inspector can, not only report violations to the Director or the
District Town Planner (DTP) but also can arrest the
violators/offenders and suo-motu start investigation as done in any
cognisable offence. |
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Chautala may attend non-BJP
chief ministers’ meet Chandigarh, August 29 Mr Bhattacharjee’s letter was received by the Haryana Chief Minister’s office here sometime back following which it was referred to the Education Minister for perusal. The Education Department reportedly made notes about the agenda and venue, etc, of the proposed meeting and sent the letter back to the Chief Minister for consideration. There was reportedly no further discussion between the Chief Minister and the Education Minister about the letter. It is also not yet known whether Mr Chautala will stay away from the meeting as it may put him on the wrong side of the BJP and Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee. However, the Education Minister is reportedly of the view that the Chief Minister should attend the meeting. He is expected to communicate it to the Chief Minister in case his advice is sought, even though a final decision in this regard will be taken by the Chief Minister only. Though the INLD has not joined the NDA despite repeated appeals for doing so, Mr Chautala, nevertheless, has to depend on Central support on crucial sectors such as power and paddy and wheat procurement. The paddy procurement season is approaching and the state government will count on the central support for not only liberal purchase of paddy from Haryana mandis but also for arranging cash in form of CCL (cash credit limit) from the Reserve Bank of India for paying farmers. However, the INLD has already confronted the BJP on education-related issues when the BJP had opposed the state government’s decision to introduce English in primary schools. The state government ignored the BJP’s opposition, despite the party supporting it from outside, and went ahead with its policy of introducing English for primary school students. “There is still two days time for the Chief Minister for making up his mind”, an official said. While stating that there was as yet no attempt by the Central government to intervene in the curriculum of educational institutions of Haryana, the official said in view of the difference of perception of the BJP and the INLD regarding education, chances of Mr Chautala responding to the call of his West Bengal counterpart could not be ruled out. |
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Haryana for assured purchase of oilseeds Chandigarh, August 29 Mr Ahmed said farmers liked to cling to the paddy-wheat rotation because of the assured procurement of these two crops by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). He said the demand for edible oil and pulses in the country was currently met by importing these items. Mr Ahmed said if the central agencies started purchasing pulses and oilseeds from farmers in a big way, farmers would also go in for these crops. He added that the diversification of the cropping pattern had been given due importance by the state government in the wake of the WTO agreement. As a result of the government’s efforts, the area under paddy had been reduced to 9.5 lakh hectares from 10.49 hectares last year. Accordingly, the production target of rice had been reduced to 27.50 lakh tonnes from 30 lakh tonnes, he said. The state government primarily attempted to reduce the area under summer paddy (sathi ) since it also caused environmental degradation, Mr Ahmed said. He added that the government was not trying to bring down area under wheat for two reasons. First, wheat was basically grown in northern India and in the case of any shortage of grain in the country, the wheat production of Haryana would come in handy. Second, a large amount of the local wheat was consumed in Haryana itself. Asked about the patenting of basmati varieties by a US firm and whether it would have an adverse fallout on the basmati export of Haryana, Mr Rajeev Arora, Director, Agriculture, and chief of the WTO cell set up by the Haryana Government, said that prima facie it did not seem that the US firm’s move could cut into Haryana’s basmati export. Mr Arora, who was accompanying Mr Ahmed, said that they had, however, written to the Union Government for intimating the state government about the implications of the US Patent Office’s decision. A reply from the Union Government in this regard was awaited, he said. |
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Historical tank lying dry Rewari The tank, on 12 bighas donated by the village Rajputs, was built by a saint, Baba Ram Swarupji Maharaj. It is about 250 ft long, 250 ft wide and nearly 40 ft deep with five bathing ghats — one completely covered for women, three for men and one for cattle. It took about four years from 1857 to construct it at a cost of around Rs 99,000. The masons and labourers employed were paid one and a half times more wages than the prevailing rates. Legend has it that the
Baba, who was endowed with divine or miraculous powers, made no collections from people and spent the full amount from his own coffers. In those days there were numerous villagers who had witnessed the Baba making payment of daily wages, etc, to the masons and labourers from under a stone slab. The story goes that once an avaricious labourer worked throughout the night to dig out the Baba’s hidden treasure. But in the end he had to go away empty-handed and dejected. The man’s action became known to everyone when on the following day the Baba insisted on paying him double the wages for his normal daily work as well as for his nocturnal misadventure. The man then publicly entreated the Baba to forgive him. Legend also has it that one day Sadhu Gopal Das, who was the saint’s assistant in Siha, doubted the Baba’s divine powers. He was sent by the Baba, who knew what was in his mind, to his cottage on a hilltop where he found large heaps of one anna, two anna, four anna and eight anna pieces lying inside a cave in the cottage, which convinced him about the Baba’s powers. The Baba had got a permanent channel-like system made at the foot of a hill which provided water to the tank during rain. The system is still intact. During all these years the tank had been a great attraction for the residents of Siha and the surrounding villages. It has, however, been lying dry after it was desilted and cleaned about a decade ago. With the assistance of the district administration, the present Mahant of the Dadu Dwara complex (in which the tank lies), Swami Prem Das, first tried to get a canal-linked channel dug from Dhani Thather to Siha but the work could not be finished. Then last year he got a deep well dug at a cost of Rs 70,000. But this also proved futile as it could not provide adequate water to fill up the tank. Efforts are still on to find a solution to this problem. Meanwhile, Swami Prem Das has started the construction of Shri Bhagwan Ram Swarup Dadu Vani Temple as well as a vast green park in memory of his predecessor, Mahant Swami Bhagwan Das. He wishes to make Dadu Dwara comprising the tank, the park and Dadu Vani Temple a place of pilgrimage for devotees of the saints Dadu Dayalji Maharaj and Baba Ram Swarupji
Maharaj. |
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Cong misleading on cops’ issue: Ajay Hisar, August 29 Addressing a public meeting at Bass village near here yesterday after inaugurating an old age home, he said the services of these policemen were terminated following a Supreme Court decision but the Congress leaders were holding the state government responsible for this for political benefits. Criticising the Congress, Mr Chautala said it had failed to play the role of a responsible Opposition in the state. He termed the Congress leaders as power hungry and alleged that it was the Congress which had violated all rules during recruitment and encouraged corruption in the state. He claimed that no employee was removed by the government. The government had given priority to these terminated policemen during the recent recruitment drive. The recruitment was transparent and according to rules, he claimed. He said an old age home would be constructed at every village of Haryana in the next five years. About 40 such homes had been constructed while construction work on 125 homes was in progress. The government had laid 2600 km of new roads and repaired 9,000 km roads in the state during the past two years. Mr Chautala said state government had introduced a new education policy under which English from Class I and computer education from Class VI has been introduced in Haryana. He called upon the farming community to adopt diversification and the latest techniques in agriculture. He asked them to grow flowers, vegetables, fruit and other cash crops to earn more income. He said the government had decided to set up four food processing parks in Haryana to promote food processing industry. |
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Electoral lists to be ready by January 1 Panipat, August 29 The District Election Officer (DEO) said that enumerators would visit residents from September 13, 2001 to October 12, 2001 for removing from electoral list the names of those who had shifted residents and who had died. Names of those who qualify to become voters on having attained age of 18 years would be added, he added. The DEO added that proforma of the amended electoral list would be prepared between October 13, 2001 and November 23, 2001 and initial amended list would be published by November 24, 2001. Thereafter voters’ objections and claims would be disposed of by January 9, 2001. Mr Anand hoped final amended electoral lists for all three Assembly constituencies of Panipat district — Samalkha, Naultha and Panipat would be ready by January 31, 2002. For this purpose SDM Panipat would attend to the work of Panipat Assembly constituency; District Revenue Officer Samalkha and District Development and Panchayat Officer to Naultha, the DEO added. He also told reporters that Form 12 would be used for identity of a voter and Form 13 for removal of any mistake where new names would be added in part ‘C’ of Form 13. The information would be supplied to the head of the family on form no. 14 and any amendment, if needed, would be made and authentication would be obtained from head of the family in connection therewith, explained the DEO. The DEO also said that further information could be obtained from his office and appealed to all voters to help enumerators for updating electoral list. |
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Policy soon on rehabilitation land Chandigarh, August 29 ‘’The rehabilitation land being encroached upon with the alleged connivance of government officials and politicians will now be allotted at the market rates to those tilling it,’’ sources told The Tribune here today. A Cabinet subcommittee for the purpose had almost completed work on the policy and details would be cleared after a couple of more meetings soon, the sources said. The policy was likely to be placed before the Cabinet next month, they said. The need to formulate a policy on the land, which was to have been given to those who came to the country after Partition, arose when alleged efforts to grab such land by officials and politicians came to light. A former Congress Minister, Mr Anand Singh Dangi, was booked for allegedly grabbing a part of such land, the sources said. They said government had identified around 3,000 cases where rehabilitation land was being tilled by unauthorised persons. This land became available to the government when there was an exodus of people from India to Pakistan and from Pakistan to India. Though land had been given to most of those who came from Pakistan or compensation awarded, there remained more land vacated by those who had left the country, sources said. When the exodus of people took place during Partition, the government initially thought that that the refugees would return, but this did not happen. The Governments of India and Pakistan then decided to exchange land records relating to those who had migrated from their countries allowing the authorities to entertain their claims through documents provided by both countries. Before that the government had even given land to migrants on the basis of oral verification before people of the village, sources said. During this period bogus claims were also made but these were later rejected. The distribution of such land earlier remained with the Deputy Commissioners and was later consolidated to the state headquarters. The date for claims was then extended to December 31, 1963, considering that those minors who did not have any adult to make their claim, could also avail themselves of the compensation. The Central Government passed the Displaced Persons Compensation and Rehabilitation Act, which was notified in 1955, to give migrants the ownership of the land which was till then in the name of Muslims who had left the country. |
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Cops
‘beat up’ Beopar Mandal chief Kaithal, August 29 The protesters raised slogans against the SP and demanded action against him. Mr Phateh Singh Dagar, Deputy commissioner, who arrived at Pehowa chowk, tried to address the agitators, but was prevented from doing so. He then asked the protesters to send their representatives to his office for talks. According to Mr Garg, who owns a shop on the Jind road here, a truck was being unloaded some goods at his shop and later a tractor-trailer, too, arrived there which partially blocked the road. The SP, who arrived there, accompanied by an escort vehicle of the SHO, City, allegedly ordered his staff to call the owner of the shop outside and beat him up as punishment for causing the road blockade. Mr Garg alleged that he was mercilessly beaten up by the policemen accompanying the SP. When his brother intervened, he, too, was given a thrashing by them. When word spread around about the incident, shopkeepers downed their shutters and lodged a protest. The protesters were initially demanding the registration of a criminal case against the SP and his suspension. However, after the talks with the Deputy Commissioner, it was agreed that the matter could end if the SP felt sorry. The administration took the stand that the SP could feel sorry before the representatives, but not before the huge gathering. As both sides stuck to their stands, the matter could not be resolved. Meanwhile,
the Beopar Mandal has given a call for a bandh in Kaithal tomorrow. |
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Arrest warrant issued against Sonia’s husband Hisar, August 29 Judicial Magistrate N.K. Singhal issued the arrest warrant on an application filed by the Hisar police, which has stated that Sanjiv had not been found despite raids at his known premises in Faridabad, Yamunanagar and Saharanpur. The application said the arrest of Sanjiv was necessary to probe the killings of Punia and seven others at their farm house in Litani village on the night of August 23. The court directed that Sanjiv be arrested by September 10. Sonia was arrested on Sunday night and remanded in police custody till September 2. The rod used by her allegedly in killing the eight has been sent to forensic laboratory at Madhuban in Karnal district. |
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Breach in embankment Sonepat, August 29 According to reports, the breach occurred around midnight when villagers were asleep. They came to know about it when they woke up in the morning. Many residents immediately informed the authorities concerned about the breach, but they reached after a few hours. The authorities are making efforts to plug the breach after the closure of the minor. This is the second breach in the minor within a month. Many farmers alleged that the embankments of the minor had become weak and the authorities had failed to strengthen them in spite of repeated complaints. Some farmers alleged that officials of the Rai Water Service Division were responsible for these breaches as they got an opportunity to dupe the government by preparing bogus estimates up to Rs 20,000 for showing the repairs of the embankments. |
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Students go on strike Sonepat, August 29 The students reportedly demolished 500-foot long wall of the short-cut route of these institutions and raised slogans against the Principal. Later, the students marched in procession and reached the nearby Hindu Girls College and forced girl students to go on strike and extend support to them. But girl students declined to go on strike. The agitating students warned that if the Principal failed to provide short-cut route by rebuilding the wall they would be forced to continue the strike. The students maintained that the short-cut route to the institutions had been there for the past eight years. |
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Cops booked for
illegal confinement Jind, August 29 According to reports received here today Dhira had filed a petition in the court that the three police officials had kept him in illegal confinement and beat him up with the connivance of three persons from his village. A case under Sections 452, 323, 506, 341, 342 and 34 of the IPC has been registered against them, but no arrests have been made so far. Meanwhile, the district police has arrested four women on the charge of smuggling of liquor. Mr O.P. Singh, Superintendent of Police, said the women had been identified as Murti, Ramkali, Nita and Sunita, all residents of Khanda village. He said 750 pouches of liquor had been seized from them. These women had been caught at a naka on the Jind-Gohana road, he said. A case under the Excise Act has been
registered. |
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Panel inspects rly station Panipat, August 29 The committee comprised Senior Divisional Operating Manager Naveen Shukla, Divisional Traffic Manager Deepak Kumar, Senior Divisional Signals and Telecommunication Engineer Saminder Singh, Divisional Electrical Engineer (General) Vinita Singh and Divisional State Engineer Sanjiv Lohia. The only toilet on the platform No. 1 always stinks and remains choked due to old sewers. There is lack of proper lighting. The committee did not inspect the site and declared that these services should be on a pay and use system. There are no toilets on platform No. 2 and 3. However all drinking water connections were restored and new plastic taps installed in view of the inspection. |
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Haryana to reconsider move on sales tax Karnal, August 29 This assurance was given when a delegation of the Haryana Fertilisers, Pesticides and Seed Traders Association, led by its president Amrik Singh Chopra called on the two ministers. General secretary of the association Balraj Taneja stated here today that sales tax on fertilisers was being imposed under the Uniform Sales Tax Policy but as yet, Punjab had not taken any step in this direction. In UP only nitrogen-based fertilisers were subject to sales tax. |
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MC engineers
transferred Faridabad, August 29 Mr Dharam Singh will take charge at Ward No. 13 from old Faridabad. Mr Virender Singh and the AE of Ward No. 19 have been asked to work at Ward No. 10 and Ward No. 1 and 2, respectively. |
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2 youths held for cheating Faridabad, August 29 According to the police, the accused had set up a firm for providing training and jobs in the fields of medical transcription, but failed to give proper training and placement, even after charging hefty fees. A case under Section 420 of the IPC has been registered on a complaint lodged with the police. |
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Gangsters held New Delhi, August 29 The suspects, identified as Ajit Singh of
Sonepat, Ajay Veer Singh of Bahadurgarh and Bijender Singh of Kundali, had come to meet somebody at Kanjhawala when they were arrested, the police
said. |
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Art exhibition Yamunanagar, August 29 Mrs Kamal Sharma, wife of Mr Rajiv Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the exhibition. Paintings of about 15 artists were displayed for the public. Mrs Sharma and Mrs Madhu Sawhney, Director, Springfields Public School, Yamunanagar, appreciated the work of the artists. |
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Record
power output Chandigarh, August 29 The Chairperson of the power utilities, Ms Meenaxi Anand Chaudhary, said that with higher availability of power from the state’s generating stations, yesterday turned out to be highest-ever power supply day also with 607.71 units. |
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