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Thursday, February 28, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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HVPN suffers another blow Govt not to bow to union pressure NEWS ANALYSIS Councillors want budget meeting to be held again Cars of DM, Civil Surgeon
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Seminar on review of exam
system Challenges in higher education
discussed Haryana’s gesture to public figures CPM to raise extortion issue in
Parliament Nine hurt in clash over land Lover of slaughtered
girl commits suicide 31 conductors declared surplus Villager shot dead
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HVPN suffers another blow Chandigarh, February 27 An order by the HERC, issued yesterday in connection with a petition filed by Mr V.S. Malik of the HEWO Apartment Association of Sector 15-II, Gurgaon, will also have a significant bearing on numerous housing societies coming up in the state. According to the order, it would be the responsibility of the distribution companies (the DHBVN and the UHBVN) to develop a theft-proof service connection from the existing supply point to the meter boxes of flat owners residing in housing societies. It further stated that the distribution companies would recover only the consumer’s share, as per the approved terms and conditions of service, and the consumer should not be asked to execute any work forming part of such service connection. The petitioner had stated that the electrical layout of the distribution network from the existing supply point to the meter boxes of the individual flat owners, which formed part of the distribution network of the DHBVN, was approved by the Chief Engineer, DHBVN, on September 22, 2000. The underground cables for connecting feeders from the pillar box to individual blocks in the complex, where the individual flat owner had his premises, were routed and laid as per the approved layout. More than Rs 16 lakh was paid by the HEWO to the DHBVN for releasing the supply connection to individual flat owners and related works. However, subsequently the DHBVN issued a sales circular (dated July 17,2001) which said that the metering room consisting of all meters through which individual supply was provided would be separately and conveniently located on the ground floor of the society/complex. The circular also said that the cables connecting the metering room to the distribution line should be externally provided and visible from outside. It was also mentioned that the provision of the circular would also apply to group housing societies where the distribution layout was earlier approved. The DHVBN asked the HEWO to change the layout already approved and to ensure that all meters of the HEWO were installed in one room on the ground floor and expose the cables already laid underground. In order to assess the site constraints, an inspection was done at the HEWO on July 27, 2001. The inspection report concluded that instead of providing a separate room for meters, the arrangement, as suggested and agreed to by the HEWO, was considered to be fairly acceptable. The report added that there was almost no chance of theft of electricity by tapping the underground cables. Representatives of the HEWO Association also met the Chairperson and the MD of the DHBVN separately with the inspection report and requested them to expedite service connections to individual flat owners. However, they did not get any response, which apparently led them to file the petition before the HERC. The petitioner accused the DHBVN of not complying with an HERC order given on May 22, 2001, which said that “the utility would provide individual connections to flat owners of group housing societies/multistoreyed buildings, etc, if they individually apply for such connections. The group housing societies/multistoryed buildings would also have the option to go in for a single-point connection for supply of power to the flats collectively....”. |
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Govt not to bow to union pressure Bhiwani, February 27 Mr Chautala was talking to newsmen here yesterday after laying the foundation stone of a 132 kv power substation to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 4.45 crore in the industrial area. Answering a question the Chief Minister said some so-called leaders wanted to serve their political interests in the matter. He clarified that no harm would come to those linked with Khanak mines like labourers, crusher owners and contractors. Earlier, addressing a public meeting the Chief Minister said two more thermal units with capacity of 250-250 mw would be setup at Panipat Thermal Plant and work would be carried out with the cooperation of Bharat Heavy Electricals of the Central Government. He said pressure would also be mounted on the Punjab Government for early completion of the SYL canal. Mr Chautala stated that the setup capacity of power would be increased by 1150 mw with the completion of ensuing power projects. The Financial Commissioner of the HVPN and chairperson of all power corporations Ms Meenakshi Anand Chaudhary said steps had been taken to set up new production projects of 3000 mw capacity in the state and the present requirement of power would be made with the completion of these projects besides meeting out the timely increasing demand in future would soon be completed. Education Minister Bahadur Singh, INLD district president Ranbir Singh
Mandola, Shashi Parmar MLA, V. Uma Shanker, Managing Director, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam were also present. |
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NEWS ANALYSIS Chandigarh, February 27 Not only was the Assembly byelection won by the Indian National Lok Dal, which, despite pretensions to the contrary, essentially remains a regional party, the second slot was also bagged by another regional party, the Haryana Vikas Party of the former Chief Minister, Mr Bansi Lal. The over-100-year-old Indian National Congress had to be satisfied with the third slot. The BJP finished not only a poor fourth but it had also to suffer the ignominy of its candidate forfeiting his security deposit. This was the fate of the national parties in a constituency which had always been favouring them alternately. The regional parties had supremacy over the national parties, primarily because of their strong leadership. There were no dissensions within the INLD and the HVP. Even if any of their workers did not like the choice of candidates, he did not dare go against the wishes of the leadership. The local workers of these parties worked hard to please their bosses. The two national parties, on the other hand, were bogged down by infighting from the very beginning of the campaigning. Sizeable sections of the local workers of both the Congress and the BJP were not happy with the respective candidates. Several local Congress leaders felt cheated by the nomination of Dr Krishana Pandit, widow of the late Dr J.P. Sharma, whose death caused the byelection. They felt that if she was elected this time, they would have no chance of getting the party ticket in 2005. While a former Minister, Mr Rajesh Sharma, openly revolted against the party decision and joined the INLD, the other aspirants for the party ticket, too, could not or did not put their heart into the campaigning. The situation was no better within the BJP, which had replaced its old horse, Dr Kamla Verma, with a new face, Mr Ghanshyam Dass, considered to be a protege of the RSS. It is reliably learnt that the RSS is not happy with Dr Verma for reasons best known it. Even in the 2000 Assembly elections, informed sources say, RSS workers, including Mr Dass, had not worked for the success of Dr Verma, who was the BJP candidate at that time. This year it was the turn of Dr Verma's supporters to sulk. It is widely rumoured in Yamunanagar that many supporters of Dr Verma might have voted for the HVP nominee, Mr Sahib Singh. It was the glaring failure of the leadership of the Congress and the BJP in judging the mood and aspirations of the local workers which ultimately ensured a drubbing for these parties at the hands of the regional parties. The campaigning by the national parties was a lacklustre affair. The regional parties, on the other hand, went about in a systematic manner, putting all their energy into the campaign. For the INLD, Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala repeatedly took time off from his UP foray to campaign for his nominee, Mr Malik Chand Gambhir, in Yamunanagar. The Chief Minister's MLA son, Abhey, and the Transport Minister, Mr Ashok Arora, camped in Yamunanagar for about a month to woo the electorate, which initially seemed hostile to the ruling party. It goes to the credit of Mr Chautala and his campaign managers (which some may describe as "official might") that with their efforts they were able to get over this hostility in the end. Once the INLD forces were free from western UP, they were deployed in Yamunanagar, the voters of which were overawed by the high-pitched campaigning. The HVP campaign, too, was well organised, with the party secretary-general, Mr Surender Singh, a son of Mr Bansi Lal, as the chief campaign manager. The HVP's success in registering its presence in the political arena of the state is more creditable, considering the fact that unlike the INLD, the party (HVP) is not in a position to extend any patronage to its workers or the voters. The Congress and the BJP will have a tough time in the forthcoming Budget session of the Haryana Assembly. Never known for playing the role of an aggressive Opposition, the Congress will be an object of ridicule at the hands of the ruling party. Mr Chautala is unlikely to spare the BJP also. The leadership of the Haryana Congress president, Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, is likely to come under further attack from the Bhajan Lal camp. Already a former Haryana Minister, Mr Krishan Murti Hooda, who, though no longer in the Congress, still maintains his relations with Mr Bhajan Lal, has fired the first salvo. In a statement issued here today he has demanded the resignation of Mr Hooda in view of the party's defeat in Yamunanagar. He claimed that the resurgence of the HVP in the state was due to the "weak leadership" of Mr Hooda.
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Hooda flays INLD Ambala, February 27 On the SYL Canal issue, Mr Hooda said, “We will continue our struggle in the interest of Haryana.”
Mr Hooda said the election code of conduct had been violated in the Yamunanagar byelection and the authorities concerned had been told about it. He also said several taxes had been imposed that were proving to be a major burden on the common man. Employees have been retrenched and industries are preparing to leave the state,” he said. |
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Councillors want budget meeting to be held again Ambala, February 27 In a letter addressed to Deputy Commissioner D.D. Gautam, the municipal councillors claimed that the budget was not accepted by most of the councillors present at the meeting. “However, when we received a copy of the meeting, we found that the budget had been passed, which is unconstitutional. The budget could not be passed with a majority of the councillors against it,” the letter said. During the February 19 budget meeting, eight Congress municipal councillors had walked out of the meeting after protesting over the budget proposals. After that, four municipal councillors of the Vikas Parishad and two BJP councillors had registered their protest. “Only three MCs had supported the budget and despite that it was passed,” the letter stated. They have requested the Deputy Commissioner that the budget meeting should be declared void, the issue must be inquired into and another budget meeting should be held so that the budget could be passed after proper discussion. |
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Cars of DM, Civil Surgeon attached Kurukshetra, February 27 The court took possession of the official car of the Civil Surgeon outside the Panchayat Bhavan where a district-level meeting was going on. But the District Magistrate’s car could not be attached as the driver had taken it away from the venue. In 1988, Ramkali of Chanarthal village in the district had filed a petition in the local court demanding compensation from the state as she had delivered a baby even after a tubectomy operation over a decade ago. The local court passed orders on February 27, 1989, to the state to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to the petitioner. But the state had filed an appeal in the district court which had reversed the orders. Ramkali then went to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in appeal for the compensation. The high court had not only endorsed the orders of the local court for compensation on November 20, 2001, but also added that she must be given interest money at the rate of 6 per cent on the compensation money of Rs 50,000 which amounted to over Rs 90,000. Ramkali then filed an appeal in the local court for execution of the high court orders as the state had not paid her the due amount ordered by the high court.
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Seminar on review of exam
system Kurukshetra, February 27 He said eight lakh children were admitted to the Distance Education and Open University System. Therefore, a separate system of examination would have to be evolved for students who were deprived of the normal residential system. Students should be exposed to the latest developments so as to compete with the outside world. Therefore, a regular updating of the courses was essential. The Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Mr R.S. Chaudhry, remarked that the existing examination system had not delivered the goods. Whereas in other countries the sequence of the educational process was very strong at the base, in India it was in an inverted position. He wanted the universities to design an examination system which would truly evaluate the student’s performance. Delivering the key-note address, the former Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University, Dr R.P. Bhambha, suggested a judicious mixture of decentralisation and centralisation in the examination system so as to get the best possible results. Another serious drawback of the existing examination system was that it was based on memorising stereo-type questions and answers. Therefore, certain innovations would have to be introduced in the system, he suggested. Dr T. R. Kem, joint secretary, University Grants Commission, advocated transparency in the examination system. The Chairperson of the Indian Council of Technical Education, Dr R. Natrajan, in his presidential address, highlighted the malpractices in the existing system. He advocated the open-book examination system along with the oral examinations. The seminar is being attended by more than 70 academicians, educational planners and administrators from all over the country. |
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Challenges in higher education
discussed Kurukshetra, February 27 Dr V.K. Tiwari, secretary, All-India Federation of Universities and College Teachers Organisation (AIFUCTO), expressed concern on the negative attitudes of the HRD, Minister, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, and the UGC Chairman, Dr Hari Gautam. He said it was an irony that a minister who himself was a teacher had refused to meet AIFUCTO delegates for the past three years. Dr Tiwari cautioned the teachers that the policies of the government to privatise higher education by accepting the recommendations of the Birla-Abbani report would be disastrous. He said the government was also trying to bypass the discussions in Parliament on this report. Dr Vijender Sharma, former president of the Delhi University Teachers Association, warned against the imperialist policies under the aegis of the General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS). Dr Vizar Nehra, president, Mahrishi Dayanand University Teachers Association, and Dr H.S. Ratnu, secretary, MDUTA, also expressed their views. |
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Haryana’s gesture to public figures Faridabad, February 27 Addressing a function organised to celebrate Guru Ravi Dass Jayanti at Sector-12 here today, Mr Chautala said teachings of great personalities like Guru Ravi Dass were still relevant and for proper social and cultural development if taken in right perspective. He said his government had decided to name all prominent government institutions after those who had spent their life in the service of humanity. Mr Chautala later unveiled the statue of Ch. Devi Lal at town park here. |
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CPM to raise extortion issue in
Parliament Hisar, February 27 This was announced by a senior party MP, Mr Hanan Mohla, while addressing a rally here today. Mr Mohla said the mining mafia had taken control of the Khanak mines and was extorting lakhs of rupees per day from owners of vehicles carrying stone metal quarried from these mines. The police and the district administration were backing the mafioso. The affected labourers were called for talks by the district authorities and detained by the police, he alleged. He said the Haryana Government was defying the Mines Act openly to line the pockets of politically well-connected persons. He said his party would draw the attention of the Centre to the issue and seek its intervention. Mr M.K. Pandhe, general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) said Khanak was not the only instance of violation of laws by the Haryana Government. The policies pursued by the Chautala government had led to closure of thousands of industrial units, rendering thousands of labourers jobless, he said. Dr Inderjit, state secretary of the CPM, criticised the government for its role in the Khanak extortion issue and demanded action against the mafioso. |
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Nine hurt in clash over land Bhiwani, February 27 According to reports, two groups of the same village had been fighting over a street for the past many months. The dispute turned violent last evening when one group pelted the other group with stones. Soon they started hitting each other with lathis and rods. Villagers said a case was also pending in a court at Bhiwani. A case has been registered. In another incident Amir Singh (65) was injured near Loharwara village when a vehicle hit him. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital, Charkhi
Dadri, but doctors referred him to PGIMS, Rohtak. |
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Lover of slaughtered
girl commits suicide Fatehabad, February 27 The girls had allegedly eloped with their lovers Ramnik and Hem Raj. The girls were spotted by their parents who later registered a case of abduction and rape against the boys. The sisters were later slaughtered by their parents. Hem Raj, lover of the younger sister, committed suicide by consuming sulfas pills while Ramnik is already in police custody. His body was today brought to the General Hospital, Tohana for a post-mortem examination. Meanwhile, the police today produced the girl’s parents Joginder Singh and Sarabjit Kaur before the Subdivisional Judicial Magistrate, Mr Pradeep Kumar, who sent them to judicial custody till March 7.
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31 conductors declared surplus Fatehabad, February 27 In the notices the General Manager of the local depot of the Haryana Roadways said as the number of conductors in the depot was well above the norms they could not be accommodated here any longer. The conductors had been asked for their options if they were willing to join in some other district in case vacancies existed in those districts. The local unit of the Haryana Roadways Workers Union has condemned the action of the depot management and said the notices were an excuse to retrench these employees. A spokesman of the union said that there were no posts of conductor lying vacant in any of the depots in the state. |
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Villager shot dead Ambala, February 27 According to the police, two persons came to Bhadi chowk around 9 in the morning. They snatched the scooter of Harnek Singh, a resident of Bulana village, who was passing by. After snatching the scooter, they fled from the site. Meanwhile, another scooterist Darshan Singh, known to Harnek, appeared on the scene. Darshan Singh and Harnek Singh decided to chase the scooter. They succeeded in
cornering them near Ahma village. The robbers fired at Darshan Singh, who died on the spot. The killers snatched the scooter of another passerby, Mohinder Singh, and fled. |
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