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Tuesday,
August 13, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Governor speaks up for Dalits Export rice sold to FCI at ‘double price’ 12 schoolchildren injured
in road mishap
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Posting orders of 3 IAS men Notice served on Minerva cinema
Gang of extortionists busted; 3
held Stone for Town Park
laid Chautala lays
MC complex stone 
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Governor speaks up for Dalits Chandigarh, August 12 While inaugurating the Ambedkar Centre of Socio-economic Studies for the Weaker Sections of Society, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes at the Department of Sociology, Panjab University, the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Dr Suraj Bhan, said it was the Indian bureaucracy which was not implementing several recommendations made by various parliamentary committees for the welfare of the Dalits. It was not an off-the-cuff remark. It was a well-deliberated and conscious observation as Dr Suraj Bhan himself said. He said the interests of the Dalits could be effectively protected only by two categories of people — elected representatives of the Dalits and their brethren who were in the services. Unfortunately, he said, the elected representatives preferred to remain silent on the issue of the Dalit welfare for the fear of being denied the party ticket in the next elections and the bureaucrats were afraid to raise their voice lest their annual confidential reports should be spoiled. “Though I am a Governor, yet I will speak (for the Dalits)”, he said. Dr Suraj Bhan regretted that the reservation for the Dalits in services as well as the other fields was not being properly implemented because there was no Central Act for the implementation of the reservation policy. He said the non-implementation of the reservation policy should be made an “act of untouchability” and, hence, punishable under various anti-untouchability laws. He said time had come to do something for about 25 crore persons who were yet to get the fruits of reservation, which had benefited only about 50 lakh persons so far. Dr Suraj Bhan, known to be a staunch crusader for the Dalit cause, did not seem concerned about the potential controversy his remarks might generate. He publicly aired his views, often expressed by him in private, without any hesitation. Criticising the “invisible ban” on the recruitment of Dalits in the defence forces, the Governor, who had been holding key posts in the BJP Scheduled Castes Morcha, demanded the creation of an Ambedkar regiment on the pattern of the other caste-based regiments. He said before Independence there used to be a Mahaar regiment and a Chamar regiment. But after 1947, these regiments were abolished. While the Mahaar regiment was restored after Dr Ambedkar led by a protest by Dalits of Maharashtra, the Chamar regiment could not be restored. As a result of this decision, the Dalits were not being recruited in the Army. Dr Suraj Bhan said as per the data given in Wasteland India Atlas, 2000, there was 20 crore acres of land which could be made cultivable. He suggested that five acre each should be given to four crore landless Dalit families. This would not only benefit over 20 crore persons but would also increase foodgrains production. The funds to make wasteland cultivable should be provided by the government and the cost could be recovered from the beneficiaries in easy instalments. Similarly, some part of the MP Local Area Development Fund should be reserved for the benefit of Dalits to be allocated at the discretion of the MP concerned. The government should set up a revolving fund to eliminate the problem of delay in the disbursement of scholarships to Dalit students. The Haryana Minister for Health, Dr M.L. Ranga, partly agreed with the observations of Dr Suraj Bhan on the bureaucracy. In a suggestion of far-reaching consequences, Dr Ranga advised the Dalits in the bureaucracy to take one-time benefit of the reservation policy. He said Dalit members of the all-India services like the IAS and the IPS should voluntarily give up the benefits of the reservation policy for their wards so that their less fortunate brethren could also make progress. He regretted that the first thing most Dalit officers and officials did after joining the service was to move out of their native villages. “If they remain attached to their roots, at least they would be able to inspire the others,” he added. He also announced a grant of Rs 50,000 for the centre. Earlier, while welcoming the guests, the Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University, Prof K.N. Pathak, said the philosophy of Dr Ambedkar was as relevant today as it was in the past. Prof K.C. Kaistha, Chairman of the Sociology Department, threw light on the achievements of the department and the importance of the Ambedkar centre for north-west India. In his special lecture, Prof S.K. Thorat of Jawaharlal Nehru University, said against the general poverty rate of 30 per cent in the country, it was 50 per cent among the Scheduled Castes and 65 per cent among casual labourers. About 70 per cent of the total households in the country were landless. In Punjab, this percentage was as high as 90, thanks to the Land Alienation Act, 1900, which barred the Scheduled Castes in that state from owning land. In South Asian countries, 35 per cent land had been transferred to the landless poor, while in India this percentage was only 3. A fellow of the university, Mr K.C. Shenmar, stressed the need for improving school education in order to ameliorate the conditions of the rural poor and to bring them out of the current state of “disempowerment”. |
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Export rice sold to FCI at ‘double price’ Kurukshetra, August 12 Mr Tyagi criticised the policy of the FCI for rice and wheat export regarding the price at which they were sold. He said it was a bonanza for the exporters at the cost of the FCI and its employees. He alleged that a large quantity of the rice and wheat issued to the traders for export had been sold on the black market, which was sold again to the FCI against the levy share of paddy purchased by the traders. Thus the rice issued to the exporters at half the price had been sold to the FCI again at double the price instead of exporting it to the other countries, he added. Mr Tyagi said “this is nothing but looting of public money by the traders in connivance with the policy makers whether they are bureaucrats or politicians”. These policies must be dumped at once, he demanded. Mr Tyagi further alleged that on the contrary the FCI management had victimised those employees and trade union leaders who had opposed the policy by transferring, suspending and chargesheeting them on the pretext of storage and transit losses for which FCI has not been able to frame any scientific norms so far. Among others who addressed the delegates were Mr Nayyer, Mr Virender Walia, Mr Dharamvir, Mr D.R. Manchanda, Mr Maha Singh Ranga, and Mr Mahajan. Meanwhile, a new regional committee, Haryana, of the sangh was elected at the conference in which Mr Dharamvir and Mr D.R. Manchanda were elected regional chairman and regional secretary, respectively. |
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12 schoolchildren injured
in road mishap Ambala, August 12 Two students, Meneka and
Shalu, had to be rushed to the PGI, Chandigarh, and emergency operation was carried out on three other students, Anu, Rajat and Rhea. While Anu had sustained head injuries, Rajat had serious injuries on his shoulder and Rhea had sustained injuries on her chest. The remaining students were administered medical aid at Mission Hospital, Ambala city. The Medical Superintendent of Mission Hospital, Dr Sunil
Sadiq, said the condition of students was stable but they were being kept under observation. He said the students had sustained injuries on different parts of the body including head, arms. “The students who had soft tissue injuries have been administered stitches to close the wounds,” he added. Mr Om Prakash, father of one of the injured students, said his daughter had not yet recovered consciousness. Another parent said he rushed to the spot when he was told by a scooterist that an accident had taken place in which a three-wheeler carrying schoolchildren was hit by a truck. “By the time we reached the hospital, the doctors were looking after my daughter. She has a fracture on her left leg and injuries on her face. I just hope she recovers quickly,” he said. The students said their auto was hit by a truck. On learning about the incident, the local people helped carry the injured students to the hospital. The Principal of PKR Jain Girls Senior Secondary School, Ms Adarsh Jain, said she rushed to the hospital on learning about the incident. “Since then I am here. It will be ensured that medical help is provided to students,” she said. She said the three-wheeler did not belong to the school. The cost of medicines would be borne by the school management, she added. The Principal informed that all students who were travelling in the three-wheeler were from Baldev Nagar area. Driver of the three-wheeler, Ratanjit Singh, and his helper,
Dharamendra, have also sustained injuries. Both of them were admitted to the Civil Hospital, Ambala city. Ratanjit Singh said the truck suddenly hit the auto when they were travelling near the Mixi chowk. The people helped us by taking the students to the hospital, he added. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Uday Shankar, said the truck driver, Gurmeet Singh, has been arrested and a case registered. |
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Posting orders of 3 IAS men Chandigarh, August 12 While Vikas Gupta has been posted as Assistant Commissioner (under training), Gurgaon, Pankaj Yadav has been posted as Assistant Commissioner (under training), Faridabad, and Vijay Dahiya as Assistant Commissioner (under training), Ambala, according to a press statement.
PTI |
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Notice served on Minerva cinema Ambala, August 12 The notice has been served under Section 208 of the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973. The Municipal Council has directed that the unauthorised construction should be removed within seven days of the receipt of the notice. The notice was issued on August 8. The notice states that if the order is not executed, then the construction will be demolished and the cost will have to borne by the owners. The Municipal Council today filed a caveat in the court of the Additional Civil Judge (Senior Division) against the owners of Minerva cinema. The caveat was filed through counsel, Mr Subhash Bhatnagar and Mr S.K. Beri. The caveat has been filed under Section 148-A of the CPC, read with Section 151, CPC. “The respondents were served with notice under Section 208 of the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973. After the service of the notice, the appeal by the respondent lies before the appellate authority as provided under the Haryana Municipal Act,” the petition states. “The petitioner apprehends that the respondents may invoke the jurisdiction of the court and may file a suit and try to get an ex-parte injunction against the petitioner. In the interest of justice, it is desirable that the petitioner may kindly be given an opportunity of hearing before granting any relief to the respondents,” the petition adds. It prayed that the present caveat be registered and a notice issued to the petitioner before granting any ex-parte injunction order in favour of the respondents. |
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Shivani murder case: raid in Ambala Ambala, August 12 The team was led by an ACP (Crime). The team reportedly reached the residence of a local journalist at about 4.45 a.m. The police officials questioned him about the whereabouts of absconding Inspector-General of Police Ravi Kant Sharma. The Delhi police team left after making enquiries. |
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Gang of extortionists busted; 3
held Kurukshetra, August 12 The arrested persons have been identified as Shiv Kumar (24), a resident of Jyotinagar (Kurukshetra), Deepak Sharma, alias Banti (22), a resident of Lakshman Colony (Kurukshetra) and Rahul, Malik alias Billu (25), a resident of Shiv Mandir Vijay Nagar, Saharanpur. Stating this to mediapersons here today, the district police chief, Mr Desraj Singh, said during interrogation it was revealed that Rahul Malik alias Billu was the gang leader. He said the trio had tried to extort money from Dr Lokender Goyal. Mr Desraj Singh said the trio were nabbed by the police when they were chalking out a ransom plan near Sector 17 here. The police had registered a separate case under the Arms Act against Rahul Malik and the trio had been sent to jail. |
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Stone for Town Park
laid Kaithal, August 12 The Chief Minister said though due to the geographical location of Haryana, it did not have any natural water resource of its own and depended on the neighbouring states, the government had ensured that canal water reached every field by cleaning and bricklining the water channels. Mr Chautala announced that the state government had decided to get all chaupals in villages repaired and brickline the circular roads. Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of a modern Transport Nagar on the Jind road, here. It will be built at a cost of Rs 10 crore and will have facilities like petrol stations, repair shops, dharamshala and dhabas. It will also have a parking space for 600 trucks. |
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Chautala lays
MC complex stone Kurukshetra, August 12 According to the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Abhilaksh Likhi, the complex will cost Rs 35 lakh and will have a library and nine staff rooms, besides a room each for the President and Secretary of the municipal committee. A fire brigade centre will also be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 31 lakh on the complex premises. The construction of the centre is expected to be completed within eight months, Mr Likhi adds. On the occasion, Mr Chautala, besides Haryana Transport Minister Ashok Arora, Haryana Agriculture Minister Jaswinder Singh Sandhu and Kurukshetra University Vice-Chancellor, R.S. Chaudhary, planted saplings on premises. |
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Bhajan Lal meets the Press today Panchkula, August 12
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Order on maxi
cab permits Chandigarh, August 12 |
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