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Monday, February 18, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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INLD flouting code, EC told Exit poll a plot, says Badungar Cong misleading people: CM Cotton crop failure hits arhtiyas Sir Chhotu Ram Jayanti celebrated |
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Farmers’ rally on March 15
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INLD flouting code, EC told
Yamunanagar, February 17 In the complaint, a copy of which is with The Tribune, Ms Pandit alleged that Yamunanagar town had been witnessing an unprecedented development following the announcement of the byelection. Whenever Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his son Abhay Chautala or INLD candidate M.C. Gambhir would address a meeting in a particular area, they would first announce the works already sanctioned for area, ask people if anything else was needed and if a road or an electricity pole or something like that was asked for by the gathering, it would be granted and work on that would start immediately, Ms Pandit alleged. She added that when she contacted the Deputy Commissioner regarding a promise made by Mr Chautala during a trip to the town, he said work was being carried out through already sanctioned funds. In the complaint to Mr J.M. Lyngdoh, CEC, Ms Pandit said the Opposition parties should also be intimated about various sanctioned works. The Congress candidate also alleged that they were being constantly followed by personnel of the state CID. Civil and police officers were camping in various hotels to solicit votes for the INLD. The Public Relations Department office at Yamunanagar was distributing INLD press releases, she said, adding that the information could be verified from any newspaper office. She alleged that the Food and Supplies Controller of the district was forcing depot holders to organise election meetings for the Chief Minister. She demanded that more Central observers be appointed at Yamunanagar and of the Chief Minister prohibited from visiting the constituency. She also alleged that various Congress workers were being intimidated by INLD supporters. Meanwhile, an HPCC delegation led by its President, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, met the EC Observer here and submitted a written complaint about the misuse of government machinery and violations of the code and conduct in the constituency. The Congress delegation demanded that polling in the constituency should be conducted through officials from outside Haryana. They also demanded the deployment of central paramilitary forces in the constituency. A high-level delegation of Haryana Congress would meet the CEC in Delhi tomorrow and bring to his notice the violations of the code of conduct, it was learnt. Meanwhile, the Congress also has intensified its campaign here with Mr Bhajan Lal, CLP leader and former Chief Minister, addressing a series of rallies today.
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Exit poll a plot, says Badungar Kurukshetra, February 17 Falling in line with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s demand for banning such poll surveys, the SGPC chief asked when the Election Commission had banned any sort of electioneering and campaigning 48 hours before the voting then how the media, particularly the electronic media, could be given a free hand “to propagate for some parties in the name of surveys and exit polls’’. Claiming that such surveys were being conducted in violation of the election code, Jathedar Badungar demanded that the Commission’s legal panel provisions must be applied to prevent such violations. He claimed that the Akali-BJP combine would sweep the state Assembly elections with over 60 seats and form the next government.
UNI
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Cong misleading people: CM Yamunanagar, February 17 Mr Chautala, who visited 15 villages of this Assembly constituency today to seek votes for Mr Gambhir assured them of adequate power and water. These villages are Patashgarh, Ishopur, Bhootmajra Farqpur, Mamidi-Jordia, Govindpuri, Govindpura Ratoli, Sasoli, Kheri Ragran, Hondawala Ki Majri, Nalagarh ki Majri, Udhamgarh ki Majri, Parwalo and Dharva. Mr Chautala said his government had been implementing a number of schemes for the welfare of all sections of the society. The stress was on the overall development of the area irrespective of the fact whether it was represented by the legislator of the Opposition or the ruling party. He said the power generation capacity of the state had been enhanced by 499 mw during past two years. He said the farmers had been given the highest ever price of Rs 110 per quintal for sugarcane. A number of other incentives too had been given to the farmers. The Chief Minister said the government introduced English from Class I and computer education from Class 6 under the new job oriented education policy. An information technology policy had also been implemented to open new avenues of employment besides enabling the youths to compete at the international level. He reiterated the commitment of his government to eradicate corruption from the state and added that jobs were being given on merit and not sold as in case of the previous governments. He also sought the cooperation of the people to eradicate the menace of corruption. |
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Cotton crop failure hits arhtiyas Hisar, February 17 It is learnt that the arhtiyas had lent heavy amounts to cotton growers in the hope that the cash crop would give them a good and timely return. However, the crop in several parts of Punjab and the entire cotton belt in Haryana was totally lost due to infestation of American bollworm. Cotton growing is a costly affair compared to other traditional crops like paddy and wheat. Its seed is the costliest. Besides, it requires heavy spraying of costly pesticides. The cotton growers, therefore, borrow heavily from their arhtiyas to raise the crop. Information gathered from various mandis in Haryana reveal that the farmers had to borrow additional money once the crop was infested. In most cases, farmers resorted to multiple sprays of costly pesticides in a valiant bid to save the crop. However, all investment went down the drain. Since there was no crop to be sold, the farmers could not repay their loans. As usually happens, most growers had fixed the marriages of their children to coincide with the sale of the crop. After the crop was destroyed, they had no choice but to borrow heavily again from their arhtiyas. This situation forced the arhtiyas to raise loans from all possible sources at heavy interest rates. The demand for cash led to a steep hike in the interest rates in the underground finance market. Most arhtiyas are now paying an average of 30 per cent rate of interest. This burden will be passed on to the farmer once the next crop comes. But that is still several months away. The story does not end here. The arhtiyas had to lend money again to farmers to help them raise the wheat crop. The expected wheat crop is now the only hope not only of the farmers but also of the arhtiyas who inadvertently have more stake in the crop than farmers themselves. This has again pushed the interest rates up and also proportionally jacked the debit balance of the arhtiyas. What is worrying them both now is that if there is a wheat glut like last year, the crop may have to be sold at below the minimum support price levels. If that happens, even the financially sound arhti firms would go bankrupt. A local arhtiya summed up the situation in these words: “It’s a catastrohic situation. Should the crop fail, we will have to commit suicide along with our farmer friends. And if the crop is too good, we will face the same prospects again”. |
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Sir Chhotu Ram Jayanti celebrated Kurukshetra, February 17 This was announced by Mr Om Prakash Chautala while speaking at the annual function organised to mark the birth anniversary of Deen Bandhu Sir Chhotu Ram at Jat Dharamshala in Kurukshetra today. Mr Chautala also paid floral tributes on the occasion. While addressing a gathering on the occasion, Mr Chautala said Sir Chhotu Ram worked for the upliftment of the poor. He was a visionary and a secular leader who was instrumental in getting many laws enacted for the benefit of these communities. He said the maximum benefits of his policies percolated to the farmers, poor, downtrodden and business communities. Mr Chautala said the present government was committed to
fulfill his dream of making Haryana a prosperous and leading state in the country. He said for materialising this the state government had revised many old policies and formulated many new ones, which included new policies on education, industry, information technology and sports. Under the new education policy special emphasis was being laid on technical education so that the students after completing their education become self-dependent. He said in his tenure jobs were being given only on merit and not auctioned as in the previous governments. His government was making all efforts to provide the same facilities in rural areas as were available in the urban areas of the state. The Chief Minister announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the Jat Sabha, where he was honoured by the president of the sabha, Mr Ranjit Singh. Later, he unveiled the statue of Devi Lal installed at the Panorama chowk constructed at a cost of Rs 12 lakh. The Chief Minister also participated in the “sahyog” programme where he distributed Kisan credit card to the farmers, sewing machines to the widows, artificial limbs to the handicapped and the school
uniforms and books to the poor children. He stated that Kurukshetra would be developed as a tourists
center so that maximum number of tourists coming to India visited the holy place where the celestial message of Gita was delivered by Lord Krishna. This would help in development of the area and substantial increase in the revenue of the state. He also distributed loans to the self-help groups constituted under Swaran Jayanti Self Employment Scheme. He also distributed milko testometer to the groups engaged in dairy farming. Other present on the occasion included Ms Kailasho Saini, member of Parliament, Mr Jaswinder Singh Sandhu, Agriculture Minister, Mr Ashok Kumar Arora, Transport Minister, Mr R.S. Chaudhary, Vice-Chancellor, Kurukshetra University, and senior civil and police officers of the district. |
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Farmers’ rally on March 15 Panipat, February 17 He criticised the government for not announcing the minimum support price for wheat. This should have been done at the time of sowing of the crop, he said. He and other leaders, including president of the Kisan Union Coordination Committee Prem Singh Dahiya, general secretary of BKU Raj Singh Arya and Jind district unit president Mahender Singh demanded that a statue of Sir Chhottu Ram be erected at the Bhakra Dam. |
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