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Saturday, February
2, 2002,
Chandigarh, India  
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Bureaucrats
sans new ideas? Cong
demands Central forces in Yamunanagar Disease
claims 50 head of cattle HAU steps
on research programmes Honour for
HAU scientist |
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No
retrenchment in Transport Dept Schoolgirl
crushed to death KU youth
fest inaugurated
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Bureaucrats sans new ideas? Chandigarh, February 1 This was demonstrated by the lack of response to a proposal from the Administrative Reforms Department (ARD), inviting senior officers to draw up suggestions on innovations in governance for a Commonwealth-sponsored programme. The ARD had sought such suggestions from all heads of departments, divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners for sending these for the Third Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) International Innovations Awards Programme. The theme of the programme was innovation in governance. The innovations could be on issues associated with the involvement of the private and non-government sectors in works relating to the welfare of the public, approach of the government to the development of policy and provision of service in the face of the blurring of roles and responsibilities of the government, private and non-government sectors, etc. The suggestions, to be received by the CAPAM in Toronto, were to be sent through the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. The entries were to be examined by 10 internationally recognised experts who would choose 10 finalists. The finalists would be interviewed in the UK and asked to present their innovations to the delegates to the CAPAM biennial
conference. There would be one gold, two silver and three bronze medals for those who were adjudged accordingly. The remaining four finalists would be featured in the CAPAM’s newsletter. The ARD had fixed January 31 as the deadline for the submission of suggestions for the programme by the eligible officers. However, it has drawn a blank as no one has come forward with any suggestions. “You cannot blame the officers for not responding to the invitation. The criteria adopted by the CAPAM for examining the proposals are very stringent,” said an official while justifying the reluctance shown by the bureaucrats. He added that the CAPAM would entertain only those suggestions which were formulated on the basis of successful administrative experiments. Importantly, while NGOs may have a limited presence in Haryana, the state government has roped in private operators in a big way for vital sectors such as education, health and telecom. The reluctance of the bureaucrats to take part in the CAPAM programme, which would have earned them laurels and a trip to the UK, is seen by many as an indication of nothing worthwhile happening on the front of private sector participation. A senior official, however, claimed that it did not mean that the bureaucrats were not coming up with innovations for getting the maximum benefits for people from participation by private operators in crucial sectors. “A bureaucrat is happy as long as his or her work is appreciated by the superior officer or the Chief Minister and he or she normally does not bother about getting recognition from the Commonwealth or any such exalted forum,” explained the officer. |
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Cong demands Central forces in Yamunanagar Chandigarh, February 1 In a letter sent to the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr J.M. Lyngdoh, the Congress candidate, Dr Krishna Pandit, today alleged that the Chief Minister and the administration were threatening voters of the constituency to support Mr M.C. Gambhir, candidate of the ruling INLD. Alleging that a “reign of terror has been let loose among voters”, Dr Pandit, widow of Dr J.P. Sharma, former Congress MLA from Yamunanagar, whose death has caused the byelection, said “great fear has been generated in the minds of the people”. The voters were being told by the ruling party that they would have to choose between “development and destruction, including their personal destruction.” Dr Pandit alleged that the Chief Minister and his supporters issued threats while addressing various sections that they would be in for big trouble if they did not vote for the INLD candidate. She alleged that while addressing doctors, Mr Chautala told them that he had come to provide “political treatment” to them. She further alleged that the Chief Minister warned the doctors that if they did not vote for his candidate, they would remember the “treatment provided by me” for their entire life. Similarly, she alleged, Mr Chautala threatened brick-kiln owners that their business would be closed down if they did not support his nominee. Dr Pandit said the voters were being told that since electronic voting machines would be used in the byelection, the boothwise voting pattern would be known to the government. The Congress candidate also alleged that the office of
DIG (CID), this file is Mr K.P. Singh, had been virtually shifted to Yamunanagar and he was coordinating the “whole operation aided by the Yamunanagar Deputy Commissioner, Mr Rajeev Sharma. Urging Mr Lyngdoh to “take urgent note of the anarchy let loose by the Chief Minister, the civil administration and the police”, Dr Pandit alleged that developments works were being undertaken even now as the money for these projects was sanctioned before the byelection was notified. The Chief Minister, she said, was claiming credit for these projects. She alleged that block development and panchayat officers were raiding villages on the pretext of checking development projects and were
intimidating sarpanches to support the INLD candidate. Dr Pandit named five officers — Mr Rajinder Singh, Additional SP, Panipat, Mr Paramjit Ahlawat, SP, Sonepat, Rao Sohan Lal, SP, Vigilance, Mr Arun Nehra, DSP(HQ), Panipat, and Mr Ashwani Gambhir, Naib Tehsildar, Jagadhri — who, she alleged, were camping in Yamunanagar these days. These officers, she said, had remained posted in Yamunanagar for a long time. Now they were allegedly openly threatening people in order secure their support for the ruling party nominee. She further alleged that Ministers and officers were openly flouting the Model Code of Conduct by using red lights on their vehicles while campaigning in support of the INLD. She concluded by saying that “as is well known Mr Chautala has a bad track record of respecting the people’s verdict in byelections, hence his
entry (into Yamunanagar) may be banned so that the polling can take place without fear.” Dr Pandit said a thorough probe into her allegations and prompt action on the part of the Election Commission could save the people of the town. Besides, democracy “will be saved from seeing another Meham”. Meanwhile, the Haryana Congress president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, has convened a meeting of the general body of the PCC in Yamunanagar on February 4 to finalise the strategy for the election campaign. In a statement issued here, Mr Hooda said all senior party leaders were campaigning in the constituency. |
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Disease
claims 50 head of cattle Faridabad, February 1 According to reports, majority of the cattle, including several buffaloes and their infants, have succumbed to the disease at Alawalpur village in the past one week. A team of veterinary doctors has been sent to the affected areas. It was learnt that several cattle had died in the past few days. The authorities concerned have advised the farmers not to give fodder to animals directly from the fields where insecticides had been sprayed. It is stated that insecticides had caused development of a poisonous substance which could prove deadly for milch cattle. Ranjit of Alawalpur village whose four buffaloes have died due to the disease along with some of the villagers has sought compensation. |
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HAU steps on research programmes Hisar, February 1 In an interview on the eve of the 33rd foundation day of the university today he said the university had contributed significantly towards transformation of state’s economy. But the future challenges called for rethinking, reorientation and revamping of the institution. He said apart from restructuring research priorities, endeavours were being made to strengthen ongoing activities. Several new academic programmes had been designed for developing more skilled and competent manpower for dealing with the scenario influenced by the open market economy. The courses both at undergraduate and post-graduate levels had been revised with the involvement of stakeholders. As a result, these were now job and self-employment oriented. Stress was also being laid on improving the overall personality and communication skills of the students through the activities conducted by the newly established Counselling and Placement Centre, he said. The Vice-Chancellor further said in research, top priority was given to developing technology for reducing regional imbalances and inequalities, resource conservation, bio-control, diversification of agriculture and quality seed production. He said initiatives had also been taken to tackle sanitary and phyto-sanitary issues in agriculture through biotechnology. Besides, a centre for food science and technology was in the pipeline to boost post-harvest research. Mr Vinay Kumar said renewed efforts were being made to reduce the gap between technology generation and dissemination. |
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Honour for HAU scientist Hisar, February 1 The award, instituted by the CCSHAU to recognise the best Ph.D research work, has been given to Dr Jakhar for his studies on 'experimental aflatoxicosis in Japanese quail and effect of selenium supplementation in modifying the disease process."
UNI |
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No retrenchment in Transport Dept Chandigarh, February 1 An official release issued here today added that new workshops would be set up at Rohtak, Ballabhgarh and Jhajjar while the one at Sirsa would be renovated. |
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Schoolgirl
crushed to death Panipat, February 1 According to an information available, the accident took place when the girls, both plus two students and residents of Ahmedpur Majra village, were on their way to Government Senior Secondary School, Nara, on their bicycle. While Sudesh died on the spot Neelam was admitted to a hospital at Matlauda town near here. As the news reached the school scores of students blocked the traffic on the Assandh-Panipat road and smashed window panes of several buses. A constable, Mr B.S. Dahiva, was also beaten up by the irate students. The driver of the bus has absconded and the Matlauda police has registered a case. |
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KU youth fest inaugurated Kurukshetra, February 1 Dr Vijay Kumar Gupta of University College of Education of the university said about 150 students artists from various affiliated colleges of the university would attend the workshop. |
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